THE last ticket to the finals will be disputed today by two powerhouse squads as the San Sebastian College Lady Stags take on the University of Sto. Tomas Lady Tigresses in the 9th Shakey’s V-League at the Arena in San Juan City.
The Lady Stags leaned on a record-setting performance by Thai ace Jeng Bualee, who unleashed a 40-hit output in powering the team to a come-from-behind 22-25, 29-27, 14-25, 25-23, 15-12 victory Tuesday to force a sudden death for the second championship berth.
Defending champion Ateneo eased through the finals with a 25-23, 25-11, 25-23 win over Perpetual Help to complete a sweep of their best-of-three Final Four series in the season-opening conference sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza.
UST held off San Sebastian, also in five, in the opener of their own series but blew a 2-1 lead in Game Two, setting the stage for the rubber match set at 4 p.m.
The power-hitting Bualee took charge in the last two sets, uncorking a series of cross-court spikes that pierced through UST’s defense and keyed SSC’s stirring fightback, especially in the decider where the Lady Stags overhauled a 6-11 deficit. Her 40-point effort, including 38 kills, bettered the previous league-best of 38 posted by former Ateneo Thai reinforcement Sontaya Keawbundit in the 2010 first conference. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio