With a Final Four assured, jockeying for positions is the new race
La Salle and University of Santo Tomas, obviously more determined now that a Final Four in Season 87 of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament will be played, start jockeying for the best position possible when they clash, with a share of second place up for grabs on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Both squads benefited greatly from defending champion National U’s shock loss to University of the Philippines last Wednesday, as the Lady Maroons started an entirely different race beginning this weekend.
Far Eastern University, which defeated University of the East also last Wednesday, currently sits in solo second with a 6-3 card, with the Lady Spikers and the Growling Tigresses holding 5-3 records.
The first serve is at 5 p.m., with the Tigresses seeking a repeat of a 25-12, 22-25, 13-25, 25-23, 15-13 first-round victory where Angge Poyos and Regine Jurado delivered.
“We just need to learn how to enjoy the game, especially when we’re ahead,” Santo Tomas coach KungFu Reyes said in Filipino as he tries to steer his charges out of a two-game slide and avoid losing three straight for the first time in quite a while.
“When the match gets tight, at least we have something to draw from in situations where stronger decision-making is needed,” he added. “Our focus now is on the team’s overall maturity.”
The loser will drop to fourth place and will only hold a one-game lead over the Fighting Maroons (4-5) in the race for the last Final Four spot.
Ateneo and Adamson, out of the Final Four picture with 3-5 slates, also saw their hopes revived. They clash in the 1 p.m. game. The Blue Eagles will be coming off a weeklong rest following an energy-sapping five-set win over the Fighting Maroons.
On the other hand, the Lady Falcons opened the second round with a straight-set romp of the Lady Warriors.
“It will be a good test for us because we are on the same path, and now we’ll cross and clash for positioning,” said Ateneo coach Sergio Veloso. “We need to think match by match, set by set and point by point, and now our next match against Adamson is probably our most important game of the season.”
