Games Today
(Filoil Flying V Centre)
8 a.m. – NU vs UP (Men)
10 a.m. – UST vs DLSU (Men)
2 p.m. – FEU vs UE (Women)
4 p.m. – DLSU vs UST (Women)
Defending champion De La Salle and University of Santo Tomas collide in a key match-up today in the UAAP Season 79 women’s volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
The 9-2 Lady Spikers are the only unbeaten team in the second round, having won all their four matches.
A De La Salle victory in the 4 p.m. match will also hand idle Ateneo the semifinals incentive and tie its fierce rivals in first place anew at 10-2.
The Lady Spikers need to work extra hard to get the one of the two twice-to-beat slots in the Final Four bonus, as the Tigresses are going all-out to get closer in attaining their goal of making it to the semifinals.
“Ang UST, talagang every game, nag-iimprove,” said De La Salle coach Ramil de Jesus. “Dapat paghandaan nang husto kasi isa sila sa mataas ang standing.”
Far Eastern University tries to check an alarming two-game losing skid and wheel back in Final Four contention against already-eliminated University of the East at 2 p.m.
The Tigresses, meanwhile, are sporting a 7-4 slate and are seeking for their first winning record since the 2012-13 season where the España-based squad won eight games – but still missed the Final Four.
A win will give UST a one-game cushion over joint fourth placers University of the Philippines and National University, both holding 7-5 cards.
Heading into the crucial stretch of the season, Tigresses mentor Kungfu Reyes is looking forward in getting better, and this key clash with the Lady Spikers will be a good gauge on how his team has gone so far.
“Medyo umaangat na kami pero wala pa rin kami doon sa talaga sa 80 percent. Nasa 70 to 75 percent pa lang,” said Reyes. “Hopefully, sa last three games namin, at least pumalo kami ng 80 percent sa iginagalaw namin.”
The Lady Tamaraws’ quest for a third consecutive Final Four stint look dim, as the 29-time champions (5-6) are now trailing the Lady Maroons and the Lady Bulldogs by one-and-a-half game.
In the men’s division, UST (5-6) and De La Salle (4-7) collide in a key battle for the two remaining Final Four berths at 10 a.m., right after early semifinalist NU (10-1) and UP (5-6) take the floor at 8 a.m.