Tigresses, Lady Tams set eyes on F4
Credit to Author: JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA| Date: Tue, 09 Apr 2019 16:29:56 +0000
University of Sto. Tomas (UST) and Far Eastern University (FEU) aim to strengthen their Final Four bids when they take on separate foes in Season 81 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) women’s volleyball tournament today at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
UST and FEU, sitting on joint third with identical 7-4 records, collide with semifinal contender University of the Philippines (UP) at 4 p.m. and also-ran National University (NU) at 2 p.m., respectively.
The Golden Tigresses fortified their Final Four chances with a 25-20, 25-20, 25-16 romp over ousted University of the East (UE) last Saturday.
“We are on the right track,” said UST head coach Kungfu Reyes. “All the things we learned from this game (UE), we’ll bring it to our next game.”
With only three teams in the running for the three remaining semifinal spots, graduating captain Sisi Rondina urges the Tigresses to keep buckling down on work.
“We still need to work and I’m always telling my young teammates not to end the season on a sad way. We have to do our job to keep our peak form and help each other,” said Rondina, whose team missed out on the Final Four last year.
Rondina will lead the fight for the España-based squad along with rookie spiker Eya Laure while Ysabel Jimenez and Kecelyn Galdones are expected to step up anew.
On the other hand, UP (6-5) is eager to bounce back from a 21-25, 25-19, 23-25, 22-25 loss to FEU and also boost its Final Four campaign.
Veteran spikers Tots Carlos and Justine Dorog are tabbed to take the scoring cudgels as State U mentor Godfrey Okumu hopes that Season 78 Rookie of the Year Isa Molde will fully recover from her ankle injury.
Meanwhile, last season’s runner-up FEU will try to sustain its winning form against the eliminated NU (3-8).
But coach George Pascua warns his Lady Tams not to take the Lady Bulldogs lightly, saying: “All teams are unpredictable. It depends on the character.”
Pascua will bank on fourth-year hitter Heather Guino-o, who scored a career-high 22 points in the previous game, and other veterans in Jerrili Malabanan and setter Kyle Negrito.
Rookie spikers Princess Robles and Ivy Lacsina are expected to spearhead the attack of the Norman Miguel-mentored NU side.
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