Jhoana Maraguinot shrugs off ‘next Queen Eagle’ tag despite drawing high praise from Alyssa Valdez

Outgoing skipper Alyssa Valdez is glad to have a young dependable teammate in Jhoana Maraguinot. Jaime Campos

ATENEO sophomore Jhoana Maraguinot is having none of the talks dubbing her as the heir apparent of Queen Eagle Alyssa Valdez.

Valdez, 22, is down to her last two or three matches in the UAAP and some are already labeling Maraguinot as the Lady Eagles' next leader.

On Saturday, Maraguinot even eclipsed Valdez in scoring to lead Ateneo over University of the Philippines, 25-19, 25-16, 25-21, in the semis at the MOA Arena. But the hard-hitting Lady Eagle, who scored 17 markers, one point higher than Valdez’ output, just shrugged off the succession talk.

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BASKETBALL PREDICTIONS FOR SUNDAY 17-04-2016

FRANCE LFB WOMEN:

Union Hainaut W - ESB Lille W         2win

HUNGARY NB1.A:

Pecsi VSK - Soproni KC          2win

ITALY LEGA A:

Cantu - Virtus Bologna         1win                          

Capo d'Orlando - Trento      2win               

Milano - Pesaro                     1win  

Torino - Brindisi                     1win

Reggiana – Sassari                 1win

“Charing lang ‘yun, ‘wag kayong maniwala doon,” said Maraguinot, who was in a hurry as her teammates have already boarded the coaster outside the venue.

During the post-game interview, Valdez said that Maraguinot is her ever-reliable teammate who not just delivers scoring when needed, but is equally excellent on defense.

“I hate Jo, I hate Jo because I love her so much. Whenever you need a point, whenever you need anything, reliable talaga ‘tong si Jo,” said Valdez, of her fellow Batanguena teammate. Valdez hails from San Juan, Batangas while Maraguinot is from Alitagtag.

For the hard-hitting sophomore, however, it was just pure luck.

“Tsamba lang,” Maraguinot said. “Kasi ‘yung UP sobrang galing din nila so hindi ko rin in-expect na ganoon ang lalaruin nila today. Siguro baka ng dahil rookie sila na-pressure sila.”

CREDIT TO:http://www.spin.ph/volleyball/news/jhoana-maraguinot-alyssa-valdez-ateneo-lady-eagles-replacement#sTdpV3vD5DLLFoE7.01

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FEU stuns La Salle, forces do-or-die for finals berth

Far Eastern University shrugged off a terrible start and bombarded De La Salle University in the latter sets to come away with a 15-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-21, 16-14 in the semifinals of the UAAP Season 78 women’s volleyball tournament Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.

Jerrili Malabanan gave the Lady Tamaraws the first match point, 14-13, with an impressive hit that bounced off the Lady Spikers’ defense, but it was Cyd Demecillio’s back-to-back errors that sealed FEU’s win.

Lady Tamaraws head coach Shaq Delos Santos was relieved his team extended its season as a loss would’ve sent them packing.

It also helps that FEU has played in five games that went into five sets this season

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SOCCER PREDICTIONS FOR SUNDAY 17-04-2016

BELGIUM JUPILER LEAGUE:

Anderlecht - Club Brugge KV                       over 1                        

Mouscron Peruwelz - St. Liege         over 1

BOLIVIA LIGA DE FUTBOL PROF:

San Jose - Petrolero de Yacuiba       1win                            

The Strongest - Ciclon                      1win

Wilstermann - U. Sucre                     over 1

SPAIN PRIMERA DIVISION:

Atl. Madrid - Granada CF                  1win                          

Rayo Vallecano - Villarreal              2win

Barcelona – Valencia                         1win

“Napaghandaan namin atake nila, and siguro na pressure din kabila,” Delos Santos said. “Kasi kung pagod lang di agad napapagod La Salle.”

“Kahit nakuhanan kami ng dalawang set, honestly speaking, di kami nawalan ng pag asa. At siyempre di namin to kakayanin kung walang guidance ni Lord.”

Bernadeth Pons gave FEU the 13-11 lead in the fifth set with an off-the-block kill but Ara Galang and Mary Joy Baron immediately responded to tie it at 13-13 prompting Delos Santos to call a timeout.

Pons was also the high-point lady of the match finishing with 22 points while team captain Remy Palma and Toni Rose Basas pitching in 18 and 17 points, respectively.

Kim Dy led five Lady Spikers who finished in double-digits with 20 points.

Cyd Demecillo and Ara Galang had 14 points apiece while Baron and Mika Reyes added 13 and 10, respectively.

CREDIT TO:http://sports.inquirer.net/211158/feu-stuns-la-salle-forces-do-or-die-for-finals-berth

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FEU Lady Tamaraws keep finals bid alive, force rubber match in Final Four with DLSU Lady Spikers

Bernadeth Pons and the Lady Spikers stay in the hunt. Jaime Campos

FAR Eastern University kept its bid for a finals spot alive, fighting back from two sets down to beat La Salle, 15-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-21, 16-14 on Sunday in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament at the MOA Arena.

Third year outside hitter Bernadeth Pons led the attack for the Lady Tamaraws with 20 points, all on spikes, skipper Mary Palma scored 18 and sophomore Toni Basas had 17 markers.

La Salle looked all set to book another title showdown with Ateneo when it took the first two sets but simply crumbled and allowed FEU to extend the match.

“Actually kahit sa practice ganoon ang nagyayari sa amin, sa mga tune up namin,” revealed FEU coach Shaq de los Santos of their bad start. “Pero ’yun nga nakikita namin na nakaka-recover naman sila.”

“Kaya kanina kahit nakuhaan kami ng dalawang sets, honestly speaking, hindi kami nawawalan ng pag-asa.”

The Lady Tamaraws are looking to book a finals appearance for the first time since Season 71 when they lost to La Salle.

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SOCCER PREDICTIONS FOR SUNDAY 17-04-2016

BELGIUM JUPILER LEAGUE:

Anderlecht - Club Brugge KV                       over 1                        

Mouscron Peruwelz - St. Liege         over 1

BOLIVIA LIGA DE FUTBOL PROF:

San Jose - Petrolero de Yacuiba       1win                            

The Strongest - Ciclon                      1win

Wilstermann - U. Sucre                     over 1

SPAIN PRIMERA DIVISION:

Atl. Madrid - Granada CF                  1win                          

Rayo Vallecano - Villarreal              2win

Barcelona – Valencia                         1win

The deciding match of the semifinals is set on Wednesday with the title series to start on Saturday.
Ateneo stayed on track for the triple with a straight-sets win over the season's suprise package University of the Philippines in the other semifinal.

“Naging maganda ‘yung ano (scouting) namin, napaghandaan namin ‘yung atake nila and siguro ‘yung pressure lang,” said delos Santos. “‘Yung pagod, I think ‘di basta mapapagod ang La Salle, kasi ‘yung kundisyon nila alam ko kung paano maghanda ‘yan eh so siguro na ano lang, swerte na nakuha ‘yung puntos.”

Kim Dy scored 20 points for La Salle, Ara Galang and Demecillo each had 14 markers, Mary Joy Baron added 13 and Mika Reyes chipped in 10.

CREDIT TO:http://www.spin.ph/volleyball/news/feu-lady-tamaraws-la-salle-lady-spikers-uaap-final-four-womens-volleyball#QmcxlyhPMHlKiCEh.01

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Lady Spikers shed tears, spend over an hour inside locker room after painful loss

Mika Reyes insists she has gotten over the defeat, vows to do better in next match. Jaime Campos

LA Salle star Mika Reyes refused to dwell on their painful loss to Far Eastern University in the semifinals of the UAAP Season 78 women’s volleyball tournament on Sunday at the MOA Arena.

The Lady Spikers looked headed to an easy win before the Lady Tamaraws stormed back from a two-set deficit to pull off a, 15-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-21, 16-14 win, in the process denying the Taft-based squad an easy path to the Finals.

 

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SOCCER PREDICTIONS FOR SUNDAY 17-04-2016

BELGIUM JUPILER LEAGUE:

Anderlecht - Club Brugge KV                       over 1                        

Mouscron Peruwelz - St. Liege         over 1

BOLIVIA LIGA DE FUTBOL PROF:

San Jose - Petrolero de Yacuiba       1win                            

The Strongest - Ciclon                      1win

Wilstermann - U. Sucre                     over 1

SPAIN PRIMERA DIVISION:

Atl. Madrid - Granada CF                  1win                          

Rayo Vallecano - Villarreal              2win

Barcelona – Valencia                         1win

Reyes, who always displays a tough demeanor on the court, shed tears after the match but the comely volleybelle insisted later that she has gotten over the defeat.

“I’m totally fine. Of course kailangan maibawi talaga syempre part ng paglalaro talaga ‘yan, part ng life ‘yan,” she said after the Lady Spikers spent more than an hour inside the locker room.

La Salle, which enjoys a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four as the second seedf, will have another chance to book a trip back to the Finals in Game Two on Wednesday.

“Kesa sisihin ko ang sarili ko na, ‘Ay sabi ko sa sarili ko hindi na mauulit,’ eh ‘di mas lalo ko lang dinown ang sarili ko so move on, move on. Kailangan mag-move on talaga,” she added.

If La Salle wins Game Two, it will arrange a rematch against two-time Finals tormentor Ateneo.

CREDIT:http://www.spin.ph/volleyball/news/la-salle-lady-spikers-feu-lady-tamaraws-semifinals-uaap-volleyball-final-four#K0KFpEE3gykrB3c6.01

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Battle of Katipunan: Champ Ateneo stands in way of UP quest for Cinderella finish

Ateneo is right on track for a third successive UAAP women's volleyball title. Jerome Ascano

DYNASTY or destiny?

The answer should be known on Saturday afternoon when two-time champion Ateneo eyes a return to the UAAP women’s volleyball finals against a University of the Philippines side that is looking to complete a Cinderella finish.

Armed with a twice-to-beat advantage, the top-seeded Lady Eagles will bank on experience, confidence and their ‘Heart Strong’ mantra instilled by Thai coach Tai Bundit in a powerhouse team led by many-time MVP Alyssa Valdez.

The Lady Eagles have not been beaten in the finals since Season 76, when a team led by Valdez and super rookies Michele Morente and Jia Morado beat a thrice-to-beat La Salle side to end the Lady Spikers’ run of three successive titles.

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SOCCER PREDICTIONS FOR FRIDAY 15-04-2016

AUSTRIA ERSTE LIGA:

FAC Wien - LASK Linz                        2win                          

Kapfenberg - Wacker Innsbruck      1win                          

Liefering - A. Klagenfurt        1win                            

Neustadt - A. Lustenau         over1                                    

A. Salzburg - St. Polten         2win

AZERBAIJAN PREMIER LEAGUE:

Gabala – Ravan          1win

BELGIUM JUPILER LEAGUE:

Gent – Oostende       over 1

BULGARIA A PFG:

Ludogorets - Cherno More   1win

Now, the Lady Maroons are pretty much in the same situation, their rookie-laden team looking to pull off the mother of all upsets and bring a championship back to Diliman after 34 years.

An upset by Isa Molde, Diana Carlos and the rest of the Lady Maroons cannot be discounted since they inflicted Ateneo one of only two losses this season - a 19-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-22 win  in their second meeting in the eliminations on March 6.

Meanwhile, second-seed La Salle and third-ranked Far Eastern University face in their own Final Four showdown on Sunday, also at the MOA Arena.

Although the Lady Spikers hold the twice-to-beat edge, coach Ramil de Jesus is wary of an FEU side which he said is well rested and geared up for the playoffs.

In contrast, the Lady Spikers are mentally and physically exhausted, he said, citing a weekend showdown with Ateneo and academics which the players had to deal with.

 “Nakapahinga sila (FEU), may advantage ‘yun para sa kanila and then at the same time kami medyo pagod eh, kasi lalo na finals week dito sa La Salle. Mas mabilis makapagod kasi ‘yung mental at puyat,” said the veteran mentor.

FEU coach Shaq delos Santos, however, does not count their long break as an advantage.

“Kailangan namin ng laro kasi ang haba ng bakasyon namin,” he said. “Malaking factor ‘yun kasi syempre iba ‘yung nakakapaglaro ka lang sa court mo kesa ‘yung maglaro ka sa mismong venue ng UAAP. Syempre may crowd, may pressure ‘yung kalaban.”

De Jesus, an eight-time UAAP champion coach, only sees one distinct Lla Salle advantage over FEU – setter Kim Fajardo who at 5-foot-6 is three inches taller than FEU setter Gyzelle Sy.

“Advantage siguro, ‘yung height lang siguro ng setter namin kasi mas nakaka-block si Fajardo kesa kay Gyzelle,” said de Jesus. “Pero sabihin mo ‘yung ability halos parehas and then defensive team din ‘yung FEU so kailangan masabayan.”
CREDIT TO:http://www.spin.ph/volleyball/news/uaap-final-four-ateneo-up-lady-maroons-alyssa-valdez-isa-molde#dgfvhArXCIJfyzVd.01

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