Lady Spikers chase twice-to-beat semis edge

Games Saturday

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

9 a.m. – Ateneo vs UE (men)

11 a.m. – FEU vs DLSU (men)

1 p.m. – Ateneo vs UE (women)

3 p.m. – FEU vs DLSU (women)

MANILA, Philippines — La Salle shoots for at least a playoff for the No. 2 seed and the last twice-to-beat incentive when it dukes it out against fellow hopeful Far Eastern University in the penultimate playdate of the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball elimination round today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Game time is at 3 p.m., with the Lady Spikers wanting no stumble and possible complications in their Top 2 aspirations after the non-bearing duel between also-ran squads Ateneo (4-9) and the University of the East (0-13).

The crucial duel rolls the red carpet for the big finale of the two-round elims Sunday featuring reigning champion and No. 1 seed National University (11-2) against another bonus contender University Santo Tomas (9-4) to determine the Final Four positioning.

La Salle currently shares the second spot with Santo Tomas as FEU lurks at third spot with an 8-5 record for a possible three-way tie that would make the Top 2 race even spicier with tiebreaker scenarios.

But La Salle could dictate their own fate by bumping FEU out of the picture and ensuring at least a knockout match for the second seed against University of Santo Tomas, should it take care of business against NU.

A loss by UST, however, would give La Salle the outright spot — and the last incentive.

“We’re given the opportunity na magkaroon ng twice-to-beat at kailangan naming i-push ang sarili namin for that incentive. Mahirap siya pero naniniwala naman ako na kaya namin,” said Angel Canino, who joined forces with Shevana Laput in a five-set comeback against Adamson this Wednesday to stay in hunt for the said bonus.

“Like Angel said, ‘laban’. We just have to fight for this,” added Laput.

Meanwhile, it’s the same scenario in the men’s division but only in the lower half of the Final Four that’s already been completed featuring FEU (12-1), four-peat champion NU (11-2), Santo Tomas (9-4) and La Salle (9-4).

La Salle takes on FEU at 11 a.m. after the Ateneo-UE battle at 9 a.m., needing a win and a loss by UST against NU on Sunday to secure the No. 3 seed.

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