Games Saturday (FilOil Flying V Arena)

10 a.m. - UST vs AdU (men semis)
2 p.m. - ADMU vs UST (women stepladder)


UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas passed its first major test in a bid to return to the finals of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament.

The Tigresses showed toughness in the crucial stretch of the fourth set to oust Far Eastern University, 25-22, 23-25, 25-17, 25-21, at the start of the stepladder semifinals yesterday at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Third-ranked UST will next face second seed Ateneo in the second stepladder match on Saturday, during which the Tigresses must hurdle the Lady Eagles’ ‘twice-to-beat’ advantage to advance to the championship round for the third straight year.

Waiting in the wings is defending champion La Salle, which copped the outright finals berth after sweeping all of its 14 elimination round matches.

“Gusto talagang manalo ng mga bata,” said UST coach Odjie Mamon.

The Lady Tamaraws last led, 19-15, when Tigresses clustered five straight points punctuated by a Maika Ortiz block to regain the upperhand at 20-19.

A service error by Maru Banaticla allowed FEU to tie the match for the last time, 21-21, when UST delivered a strong finishing kick, highlighted by a killer running spike by Ortiz to break the standoff.

Banaticla registered 18 hits and 14 digs, while Ortiz contributed 15 points for the Tigresses.

Rosemarie Vargas shone for the second straight game with 18 hits, including two service aces, while Wenneth Eulalio chipped in 15 points, including two blocks, for the Lady Tamaraws.

In its return to the semifinals after a two-year absence, FEU showed a different kind of intensity, but UST delivered the killer blows when it mattered.

“Bilib ako sa libero (Christine Agno) at setter (Gyzelle Sy) nila (Lady Tamaraws),” said Mamon, who is on his first season manning the fort for the Tigresses. 

Meanwhile, fourth-ranked La Salle stunned top seed FEU, 25-18, 14-25, 25-23, 25-20, to send their men’s ‘Final Four’ duel to a decider.

Myco Antonio fired 16 points, while Philip Cerveza scored five of his nine points from blocks for the Green Archers to keep their finals aspirations alive.

The loss negated JR Labrador’s game-high 25 points, including five service aces, for the Tamaraws.

The ‘rubber match’ is set on Wednesday.