ANOTHER classic game between the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Spikers and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses is poised to take place today, as they vie for the coveted second seed.
Fans of the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament are in for another thrilling day as the two teams will put everything on the line to secure the last twice-to-beat advantage for the Final Four round.
For the third consecutive season, DLSU and UST will face off in another round of playoffs this afternoon, 2:00 p.m., at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasig City, looking to gain momentum for Saturday’s semi-finals.
However, before their seeding match, the Lady Spikers and Golden Tigresses had an interesting elimination round, not only because they had identical records, but also because of how their two encounters worked out.
Renewed Bad Blood
Players come and go, seasons start and end, but the bad blood and history between these two teams remains. This season, the two teams will have to follow the same course they’ve taken for years.
DLSU and UST finished second to fourth with a tied win-loss record of 9-5, along with FEU Lady Tamaraws, but the ranking points tiebreaker favored the two title contenders with 27 points each.
The Tigresses won their first encounter 25-12, 22-25, 13-25, 25-23, 15-13, while the Lady Spikers tied their head-to-head eliminations match 15-25, 25-17, 24-26, 25-20, 16-14 in the second round.
Despite a shaky start for both teams, Angge Poyos and Reg Jurado have been UST’s go-to offensive players this season, while DLSU has relied on veterans Angel Canino and Shevana Laput when things go tough.
Looking at this season’s results may not provide a sufficient sample size to determine who is leading, but the history of rivalry between these two teams in knockout games has been fascinating.
Different Story, Same Scenario
Just when you thought DLSU and NU were the new era of UAAP rivalry, history appears to be proving otherwise. When we talk about rivalry, we mean one team eliminating the other or impeding their progress toward their end goal.
The Lady Spikers and Golden Tigresses have had a silent rivalry for a few years now. When considering their prior encounters, however, history appears to be on UST’s side.
In Season 81, the Sisi Rondina-led team, with the help of Eya Laure, defeated the mighty DLSU squad to claim the second seed during their seeding game, eventually eliminating them in the Final Four.
However, in Season 85, the No. 1 seed La Salle proved too much for USTE. Winning their Final Four match before moving on to the Finals, where they swept the Lady Bulldogs for the championship, headed by Rookie-MVP Canino.
The tide swung once more in Season 86, as “Mini Miss UST,” recognized for their heart despite their small stature, stunned the towering DLSU in the second round, securing the second seed.
The Golden Tigresses entered the Final Four with a twice-to-beat advantage, determined to avenge their previous season, and upset the defending champions, defeating the Lady Spiker in a heart-stopping five-set thriller.
Who Wants It More?
After looking at their Season 87 meetings and their prior playoff histories, UST head coach Kungfu Reyes feels that the playoff for No. 2 match would be decided by who wants it the most.
“Even La Salle ganun din sinasabi na kilala na rin nila kami, alam namin sino staff nila, alam nila at namin sino ang go-to guy ng bawat isa. Patibayan na lang ng isip at dibdib itong labanan namin sa playoffs,” Reyes said.
“So sabi nga namin [na] championship material tayo, pero marami pa tayong dapat ayusin. Hindi na sa volleyball skills minsan, more on yung tayuan, yung talagang alam mo yung tayo pa lang matibay na,” he added.
Meanwhile, during their win over the AdU Lady Falcons, DLSU assistant coach Noel Orcullo voiced the same sentiments as Reyes, which were echoed by Laput, stating that their determination just needed to be translated.
“It’s just “laban,” we just have to fight for this. We need to prepare ourselves mentally. Because I think that’s where our team, not lacks, but needs to improve on more, and our team chemistry,” Laput explained.
“We need to show that on the court, ‘cause we have that. It’s just about applying it, and show everyone what La Salle is. Because La Salle is not just a second or third team, we’re a championship team, and we will show that to everyone,” she added.
Aside from the playoffs, the Final Four match between the DLSU Lady Spikers and the UST Golden Tigresses has already been scheduled for Saturday, regardless of the outcome of their vital match this afternoon.
While the NU Lady Bulldogs, who have the twice-to-beat incentive after finishing first in the eliminations, will face the fourth-ranked FEU Lady Tamaraws for the second consecutive season on Saturday.
