Three teams vie for UAAP volley stepladder semis

Games today (Filoil Flying V Arena)

2 p.m. – UE vs UST (women’s)

4 p.m. – AdU vs FEU (women’s)

MANILA, Philippines - Three teams seeking to catch the last bus to the stepladder semis take the court today in a do-or-die offering of the UAAP Season 77 women’s volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Arena.

Far Eastern U and Adamson, toting identical 5-8 records, clash at 4 p.m. to dispute at least a playoff for the No. 4 berth while University of Santo Tomas, also with a 5-8 card, shoots for the same objective against winless University of the East (0-13) at 2 p.m.

Only one spot to the next stage is up for grabs as defending champion Ateneo has already booked an outright finals berth following a 14-0 sweep while La Salle (12-2) has secured the No. 2 slot and National U (7-6) has put a lock on third with a game to spare.

The Lady Tams staved off elimination by beating University of the Philippines, 19-25, 25-15, 25-19, 25-19, last Wednesday to force a four-way logjam at fourth with the Lady Maroons, the Lady Falcons and the Tigresses.

“Iyung pinakamaliit na butas ng karayom ang kailangan naming pagdaanan pero malaki ang tiwala ko sa team ko, kahit pa mga bata pa yan (We’re going through the slimmest eye of the needle to salvage a semis berth but I have faith in my players, however young they are),” said FEU coach Shaq delos Santos.

The Lady Falcons’ semis bid got stymied by back-to-back losses to La Salle and the NU this week.

The Tigresses also stumbled after dropping a numbing 25-11, 20-25, 25-16, 18-25, 11-15 loss to UP a week ago but could spring back to life against the Lady Warriors.

“The only thing we can do now is win against UE and pray,” said UST coach Odjie Mamon after his wards let the victory versus UP slip away.

If UST prevails over UE, it will join the winner of the FEU-AdU setto in a tie for fourth. Idle UP can make it a three-way tie if it hurdles NU on Sunday. Under such scenario, a double KO for the last berth will ensue to determine the opponent of the No. 3 Lady Bulldogs in the stepladder semis.