–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Once again, fierce rivals University of Santo Tomas and La Salle will engage in what is practically a best-of-three for the No. 2 spot in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament.
Game 1 is the knockout for twice-to-beat protection on Wednesday. Game 2 is the start of the Final Four on Saturday, where the winner of “Game 1” can sweep its way to a championship berth.
If the team that falls to the third spot wins Saturday’s game, it will necessitate a knockout match—a deciding Game 3, if you will.
All for what? A shot at dethroning runaway No. 1 National University.
“I am happy that [NU’s] just waiting, hayahay buhay (such an easy life),” UST captain Detdet Pepito said sarcastically. “So take your time while we are fighting hard.”
Then, addressing friend and NU star Bella Belen, the ace libero continued lathering the postgame presser that followed the Lady Bulldogs’ 23-25, 25-17, 25-18, 22-25, 15-9 victory on Sunday night over the Tigresses with more of her brand of humor.
“I wish you gave more thought to [the game] earlier. I wish you would’ve chosen us as your Finals opponents,” Pepito joked.
UST would have claimed the No. 2 spot with a victory against NU, which had nothing at stake in Sunday night’s scheduled encounter. But the Lady Bulldogs kept things honest, displaying the form and will that makes the remaining UAAP schedule a delay of the inevitable.
Pepito was serious only about one thing: “We still want to face [NU] in the Finals.”
She and her fearless Tigresses will have to do that the hard way.
More preparation, rest
UST faces La Salle at 2 p.m. at Mall of Asia Arena, looking to take the first step toward forging a rematch of last year’s championship tussle.
The Lady Spikers are out to make sure that doesn’t happen.
La Salle will be coming into the all-important match having had more time to prepare. The Lady Spikers are also heading into the match with an additional day of rest. Those could be pivotal in the knockout match.
La Salle has vengeance in its mind, hoping to rewrite the ending of a story that has turned out eerily similar to last year’s.
“We’re happy to reach this situation and hopefully we get to handle it well,” UST coach KungFu Reyes said. “We’ll do our best to get through this Final Four.”
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“[La Salle and UST] know each other very well. We both know each other’s star [players], go-to guys,” Reyes said. “When it’s the playoffs, everything boils down to a battle of wills and smarts.” INQ
