Ph army takes game 1 of finals

THE PHILIPPINE Army ambushed the San Sebastian Lady Stags with a strong power game and a sturdy net defense as they swept the latter in straight sets, 25-9, 25-20, 25-16 victory to take Game One of the Shakey‘s V-League Open Conference finals last Sunday at The Arena in San Juan.

With its vaunted offensive game in full throttle, the Lady Troopers neutralized the Lady Stags’ attack with a solid net defense, coming through with 10 blocks, nine in the first two sets that took the sting out of the 2008 second conference champions.

Rachel Ann Daquis fired 14 hits, Mary Jean Balse made 13 points and Michelle Carolino backed them up with 11 kills for a 12-point output while Marietta Carolino and Cristina Salak added nine hits apiece for the Troopers, who stamped their class right in the opening set to turn what had been hyped as a tight contest into a one-sided triumph. They go for the clincher—and the first Open crown in the league—on Thursday.

Army’s defense held SSC’s American import Lauren Ford to just five points./Correspondent Jonas Panerio