Lady Eagles eye win No. 4

MANILA, Philippines - Ateneo tries to move closer to a sweep bid in Group B as it faces contender St. Benilde today while Arellano U hopes to join early Group A qualifier Far Eastern U as it battles University of Batangas in the Shakey’s V-League Season 12-Collegiate Conference at The Arena in San Juan City.

The Lady Eagles, with ace Alyssa Valdez back in her fearsome form, walloped the La Salle-Dasmariñas side last week, 25-13, 25-19, 25-22, to notch their third straight win and advance to the next round of the mid-season offering of the league sponsored by Shakey’s and presented by PLDT Home Ultera.

Valdez uncorked a 22-hit effort in her first full game with the Lady Eagles while Jhoanna Maraguinot and Bea de Leon combined for 22 points as Ateneo followed up its 3-1 win over University of Santo Tomas and 3-0 romp over San Sebastian with a 64-minute demolition of the winless La Salle-Dasma squad.

That makes the reigning UAAP champions the slight favorites against the Lady Blazers, who missed stretching their two-game run with a five-set setback to the resurgent Tigresses, also last week.