DE LA SALLE buckles down to a more serious task toward its quest for a third straight crown as the Green Archers square off with the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs in the Final Four between the top-seeded team and the No. 4 squad in Season 80 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) volleyball tournament today at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Green Archers are riding the momentum of an eight-game winning streak that gave them a front-running 12-2 won-lost card. And all they have to do to advance to the finals is beat the Lady Bulldogs in the 4 p.m. match.
The Lady Bulldogs, who lost six of their last seven matches, have the disadvantage of needing to beat the Lady Spikers to live another day in the semifinals.
The men’s topnotchers Bulldogs (12-2), on the other hand, shoot for a fifth straight trip to the Finals when they try to eliminate the fourth-seeded University of Santo Tomas (UST) Tiger Spikers at 2 p.m.
The Bulldogs are in high spirits after ending a 13-match losing streak to three-year finals tormentor Ateneo Blue Eagles, 25-23, 21-25, 25-23, 25-19, to clinch the No.1 spot after the eliminations.
NU is facing a UST side that had to survive Adamson University in five sets, 25-20, 25-23, 19-25, 23-25, 15-11, in a do-or-die playoff for the last semifinals berth.
But all eyes will be on the women’s match, with De La Salle hoping to advance to the finals anew.
Lady Spikers Coach Ramil de Jesus, who has won 10 titles in a 20-year tenure with the school, wants his wards, led by graduating players Kianna Dy, reigning Most Valuable Player Majoy Baron and Asia’s second best libero Dawn Macandili, to take NU seriously.
“I’ve always been telling them that our No. 1 finish in the eliminations is not important anymore. What is important now is ‘can we win this semifinals and make it to the Finals again?” de Jesus said.
De La Salle and NU split their matches in the eliminations with the Lady Bulldogs coming from behind, 26-24, 19-25, 22-25, 25-17, 16-14, in the first round and the Lady Spikers bouncing back with some impunity in the second round, 27-25, 27-25, 25-16.
The Lady Bulldogs started the season with a 6-1 card only to lose steam in the second round and won only once to the University of the East Lady Tigers. But with enough victories they piled, they still emerged at the No. 4 spot with a 7-7 card.
NU Head Coach Babes Castillo said the second-round was a trial that makes her wards tougher—despite the second round skid.
“This happened for a reason so we have to go through this [ordeal]. Maybe this is the value we need to learn before getting our goal,” Castillo said. “De La Salle became more consistent, especially in service and passing. We need to match their style. It will be a test of our system.”
Castillo hopes that Jaja Santiago gets more support from fellow graduating player Aiko Urdas, setter Jasmin Nabor, Risa Sato, Jorelle Singh, Roma Doromal and Rose Doria.
An NU victory would result to a rubber match on Wednesday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.