V-League: Thai import to reinforce Ateneo anew

Comebacking Thai player Kesinee Lithawat will again reinforce Ateneo in its quest for its first ever title in the Shakey’s V-League Season 8, which opens on April 3 at The Arena in San Juan. Lithawat played for the Lady Eagles in the Season 4 Second Conference. She will be the only Thai player seeing action in the upcoming tournament. The 30-year-old Lithawat was a former member of the Thailand national women’s team which won the gold medal during the 2007 Southeast Asian Games. In her second tour of duty in the V-League, she will team up with local guest player Alyssa Valdez, a fomer UAAP Junior Athlete of the Year when she was still playing for the UST girls squad, in the hope of turning around the fortunes of the Lady Eagles. Aside from Valdez, veterans Angeline Gervacio, Kara Acevedo, Fille Cainglet, setter Jem Jamenea and Gretchen Ho are also expected to contribute for the Lady Eagles. San Sebastian College and Lyceum of the Philippines, the two other teams which fielded in Thai players as their imports in their last stint, opted to use an all-Filipino line-up for this conference. The Lady Stags and last Season 7 second conference titlist Adamson Lady Falcons are tipped as the favorites. The five-time NCAA champion Lady Stags will have former league MVP Suzanne Roces as guest player. The team will also retain the corps that won the Season 86 women’s volleyball crown, led by Analyn Joy Benito, Jennelyn Belen, Bonsai Mirasol and Elaine Cruz. Adamson will again count on the tandem of Nene Bautista and Mic-Mic Laborte. Far Eastern University, College of St. Benilde, University of Perpertual Help, National University and two Visayan squads — Southwestern University of Cebu and University of St. La Salle Bacolod — complete the 10-team cast. The participants will be divided into two groups that will play a single round robin. The top four teams in each group will advance to the quarterfinal round. These eight teams will again be divided into two groups and play one round. The top two teams in each group will advance to a crossover best-of-three semifinals, with the survivors figuring in a best-of-three finals showdown. - KY, RCJ, GMA News