University of Santo Tomas and defending champion De La Salle dispute the remaining twice-to-beat slot in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball Final Four on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With both teams tied at 11-2, the Tigresses and the Lady Spikers go all out in the 6 p.m. match as the league’s traditional powerhouses try to avoid getting a twice-to-beat disadvantage in the semifinals.
National University, which went undefeated in the second round, secured the Final Four bonus and the No. 1 ranking after finishing the eliminations with a 12-2 record.
With a 9-5 slate, Far Eastern University has already locked the No. 4 spot.
The Lady Bulldogs, who are gunning for a third straight Finals appearance, will play the Lady Tamaraws in the Final Four.
UST outlasted La Salle, 25-18, 25-23, 14-25, 16-25, 15-12, in the first round last Feb. 25.
It’s a virtual best-of-three showdown between the Tigresses and the Lady Spikers, with the Final Four incentive at stake in the 6 p.m. match.
In 2019, both teams faced a same situation as UST bagged the twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four as it beat La Salle in a playoff and later arranged a Finals showdown with Ateneo after repeating over the Taft-based side in the Final Four.
University of the East faces University of the Philippines in the other women’s match at 12 noon.
In the men’s division, De La Salle seeks to force a playoff with holders NU for the other twice-to-beat slot in the Final Four as it faces UST at 4 p.m.
FEU has already secured the No. 1 ranking in the semis and the twice-to-beat Tamaraws will face the fourth-ranked Golden Spikers.
The Bulldogs and the Green Spikers face off in the other half of the Final Four.
A De La Salle loss to UST will hand NU the remaining twice-to-beat Final Four incentive.
Tickets to the UE-UP and UST-DLSU doubleheaders are sold separately.