Lady Spikers eye F4 bonus vs Tigresses

MANILA, Philippines - Defending champion La Salle guns for a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four today when it tangles with third-running Santo Tomas in a crucial UAAP Season 79 women’s volleyball matchup at the Filoil Flying V Center.

Already assured of their ninth consecutive F4 stint with a 9-2 card, the Lady Spikers want to go further by taking the important semis bonus in the 4 p.m. encounter with a Tigresses side (7-4) that’s out to bolster its F4 bid.

“UST is improving each game and they’re moving up in standings so we need to be ready for them,” said DLSU coach Ramil de Jesus.

A win by DLSU will send it to a tie for No. 1 with idle Ateneo while also giving the Lady Eagles (10-2) a semis incentive.

The Tigresses want to open a one-win lead against University of the Philippines and National U – both with 7-5 slates – as the race for the two remaining Final Four slots heats up.

“We’re still at about 70 to 75 percent but we’re getting there. Hopefully we reach about 80 percent in our next three games,” said UST mentor Kungfu Reyes.

Meanwhile, Far Eastern (5-6) tries to check an alarming two-game losing skid and wheel back in Final Four contention against already-eliminated University of the East (1-10) in the 2 p.m. opener.     

The Lady Tamaraws’ quest for a third consecutive Final Four stint looks dim as the 29-time champions are now trailing the Lady Maroons and the Lady Bulldogs by one-and-a-half games.

In the men’s division, UST (5-6) and De La Salle (4-7) collide in a crucial battle for the two remaining Final Four berths at 10 a.m., right after early semifinalist NU (10-1) and UP (5-6) take the floor at 8 a.m.