Lady Spikers, Lady Bulldogs seek quick finals entry

Games Tuesday

11 a.m. – DLSU vs FEU (men’s stepladder)
1 p.m. – DLSU vs UST (women’s Final Four)
3 p.m. – NU vs AdU (women’s Final Four)

MANILA, Philippines – And then there were four.

Top-seeded La Salle and reigning champion National University eye to arrange a quick finals rematch as Adamson and Santo Tomas attempt to play spoilers in the UAAP Season 85 women's volleyball Final Four Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Armed with twice-to-beat incentives, the Lady Spikers and the Lady Bulldogs aim to finish off their counterparts right then and there to set a second straight finals duel.

La Salle takes on tormentor Santo Tomas at 3 p.m. while NU goes up against Adamson at 1 p.m. after the first phase of the men's stepladder semis at 11 a.m. featuring No. 3 Far Eastern U and No. 4 La Salle.

The survivor in the first phase of the men's royal rumble gains a shot at No. 2 UST in another knockout setto with two-time champion NU already waiting in the best-of-three finals after sweeping the eliminations, 14-0.

But the brightest spotlight is on La Salle and UST with top MVP contenders in Eya Laure and super rookie Angel Canino slugging it out at the centerstage.

"We'll be ready vs UST. Hindi kami pwedeng mag-relax. Hindi puwedeng bumaba 'yung laro namin ngayong semis," said La Salle deputy Noel Orcullo as La Salle aims to land a sweet vengeance on UST.

The Lady Spikers got decked by the Golden Tigresses in four sets last month that proved as their lone loss in what could have been a perfect campaign and an outright finals ticket as well.

Against tougher odds this time in a win-or-go home battle, UST is out to weave that same magic in order to stay alive.

"La Salle is La Salle. May sistema silang matibay at ipapakita rin namin 'yung samin. It's motivating kasi magagaling sila lahat. We have a lot of respect for them at alam naming paghahandaan din nila kami," said Laure, the league's top scorer. 

NU, this time, may be thriving in a different path after an automatic finals appearance in Season 84 with a sweep but the approach remains the same.

"We need to bring our game. We need to get back to ourselves and stay focused on the ultimate goal," said reigning MVP Mhicaela Belen.

Adamson likewise has its sights locked on that ultimate prize, even if it means gunning for a herculean feat of eliminating the reigning queens.

"This is an opportunity for greatness. 'Yung makakalaban natin na NU, nakakakuha tayo ng a set or two. So ibig sabihin, pwede, may chance. Basta may chance, laban lang kami," said coach Jerry Yee, who is out to extend his winning tradition over at the UAAP from the NCAA with St. Benilde.