University of Santo Tomas kept its hopes alive for a shot at the twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four with a 27-25, 25-17, 20-25, 25-16 victory over National University in the UAAP Season 81 women’s volleyball eliminations Saturday at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
Sisi Rondina came through with MVP-like numbers of 21 kills, 13 receptions and 10 kills as the Tigresses, banking on team effort, ended the eliminations with a four-match winning streak and 10-4 record overall.
The win also kept UST within reach of 10-3 De La Salle, which will play Far Eastern University at 4 p.m. today, for the No. 2 slot.A loss by the Lady Spikers to the Lady Tamaraws will give the Tigresses a chance to duke it out with the defending three champions in a playoff for the remaining twice-to-beat slot in the Final Four on Wednesday.
A De La Salle victory, however, will relegate UST to No. 3 in the semifinals next weekend.
Ateneo, with a league-best 11-2, has locked up the first twice-to-beat berth in the Final Four, though its final elims ranking has yet to be determined.
Regardless of the result today, the Tigresses made heads turn this year and are determined to carry on in their bid to reclaim lost glory.
UST achieved its first 10-win campaign since the 2010-11 season, when the Tigresses also finished with a 10-4 card.
It was also one of the league’s biggest turnarounds, as UST could only muster a 4-10 record last year.
Rondina and rookie Eya Laure, who chipped in 13 points, shone for the Tigresses.
Kaycee Galdones had four blocks to finish with seven points, starting setter Alina Bicar fired two service aces for a seven-point outing, Ysa Jimenez responded as a fourth set starter after UST yielded the third frame to contribute with four points, while libero Rica Rivera collected 16 digs and 11 receptions.
The youth-laden Lady Bulldogs ended their season with a 4-10 slate.
Ivy Lacsina led NU with 19 hits, including two service aces, while Princess Robles added 14 kills, 15 digs and 15 receptions.
In the men’s division, De La Salle outlasted University of the Philippines, 25-21, 25-21, 15-25, 23-25, 15-11, while UST hurdled University of the East, 25-19, 25-15, 19-25, 25-23. The Green Spikers and the Growling Tigers ended their season with identical 5-9 records, while the Red Warriors and the Fighting Maroons settled for 2-12 and 1-13 slates, respectively