By Jerome Lagunzad
Games Today
(Mall of Asia Arena)
2 p.m. – FEU vs Ateneo (Men’s)
4 p.m. – FEU vs Ateneo (Women’s)
Host Far Eastern University intends to sustain its dream run while Ateneo fights for its dear life as the UAAP women’s volleyball Final Four round sizzles today before an expected capacity crowd inside the Mall of Asia Arena.
Armed with a twice-to-beat advantage as the No. 2 seed for the first time since 2009, the Lady Tamaraws are determined to come up with another strong performance in their 4 p.m. showdown with the Lady Eagles who remain confident about their chances of making it back to the finals for the fifth straight year.
“It’s not an unfamiliar territory for us because the team has been here before,” said Ateneo skipper Maddie Madayag, referring to the previous Lady Eagles unit which overhauled the same series handicap over National University in the stepladder semis then upstaged erstwhile favored archrival La Salle in the finals for the 2013 crown.
Proof of that is the fact that the Lady Tamaraws have won their last four matches in the elimination round to finish with a 10-4 mark, giving themselves enough confidence as they try to clinch a return ticket to the finals since 2008, the final playing year of former star Rachel Anne Daquis, and hopefully go all the way for their 30th overall crown.
Much of the spotlight, however, will fall on the main match, with skipper Bernadeth Pons, Heather Guino-o, Toni Rose Basas and Kyle Negrito leading FEU’s charge against Madayag and her fellow Ateneo veterans Jho Maraguinot, Bea De Leon and Kat Tolentino.
