Sasabak sa ikatlong sunod na do-or die game ang University of Santo Tomas sa pagharap sa defending champion at No. 2 seed National University sa UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball sa Smart Araneta Coliseum sa Quezon City ngayong Sabado.
Magsasagupa ang Tigresses at Lady Bulldogs simula 3 p.m.
Una nang nalusutan ng UST ang Far Eastern University at Adamson University sa stepladder Final Four.
Ang mananalo ang lalaban para sa kampyonato kontra De La Salle sa best-of-three title series simula Mayo 6 sa Mall of Asia Arena sa Pasay City.
Winalis ng La Salle ang elimination round, 14-0, dahilan para awtomatikong nakapasok sa finals.
Huling naglaban ang UST at La Salle sa finals noong Season 71 (2011), kung saan nagwagi ang Lady Spikers.
Tinalo ng NU ang La Salle sa Season 87 finals, pagbawi mula sa panalo naman ng La Salle noong Season 85.
Hangad din ng Lady Bulldogs ang ika-limang sunod na pagsabak sa finals.
“I think we need to put in more effort. Triple what we did in Adamson because of course, knowing NU, we know that they are always competitive. Our last game [against NU], I was very happy because it was just a little bit. I think the result could have changed. We will try,” ani UST coach Shaq delos Santos
Tinalo ng NU ang UST, 19-25, 23-25, 25-18, 25-18, 15-13, sa second round ng elimination noong Abril 22.
“We’ll polish what’s needed again and we’ll focus on our strengths, especially,” Delos Santos said.
Ani NU coach Regine Diego, kailangan ang preparasyon sa lahat ng aspeto.
“We have to prepare not just physically but mentally. Hopefully, all conditions are equal during that time because we still have the advantage of being No.2 because we still have time to perfect and fix our mistakes and hopefully get wins in the future,” ani Diego.
Samantala, kampyon ang UST sa Division 1 ng Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League Rising Stars Cup na ginanap noong Martes sa La Salle Green Hills Gym in Mandaluyong City.
Tinalo ng UST ang Bacolod Tay Tung High School-A, 16-25, 26-24, 19-25, 28-26, 15-10.
NU Nazareth School-B naman ang kampyon ng Division 2 matapos talunin ang University of Batangas High School, 33-31, 25-17, 25-23.