Rookie of the Year winners and Most Valuable Player award contenders Angge Poyos and Shai Nitura banner a crucial University of Santo Tomas-Adamson tiff with both teams seeking to boost their respective Final Four bids in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City Saturday, April 11.
With De La Salle (11-0) going all out for an outright Finals berth, and reigning champion National University (8-3) raring to secure the No. 2 spot, the Golden Tigresses (7-4) and the Lady Falcons are in must-win situation to earn a better chance of staying within the Top Four race.
The pivotal match between UST, which fresh is off a sweep victory over University of the East (0-11), and Adamson fires off at 5 p.m., while the Lady Spikers, already armed with twice-to-beat advantage, eye a sweep over archrival, the Ateneo Blue Eagles (1-10), in their 11 a.m. collision.
A win for the Tigresses would solidify their hold on third place and would push the Lady Falcons to fifth, making way for the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws (6-5) to enter the semis picture.
If the result goes the other way, UST and Adamson share the same card and remain inside the top four, but it will let FEU and University of the Philippines (5-6) stay in the semis hunt.
Experiencing a rollercoaster run this year, the España-based squad always comes through adversities with its recent back-to-back victories against FEU and University of the East (0-11), marking its fifth win in its last six games that kept its semis push intact.
Also, Poyos and UST aim to redeem themselves against the Nitura-led Adamson, which handed them a straight-set loss – highlighted by a 25-12 third-frame demolition – in their first-round meeting last March 7.
In that game, the Balilihan, Bohol native was limited to just five points, a scoring output that the 22-year-old Poyos plans to improve for UST, which also leans on Reg Jurado, Avril Bron, Cassie Carballo, and Detdet Pepito.
“For me, personally, need ko talaga mag-step up… against Adamson, kasi last game [namin against sa kanila] talagang nalimitahan din ‘yong score ko,” said Poyos. “Sistema naman nando’n need lang namin i-apply at sumunod.”
Apart from its semis hopes, Adamson targets a rebound triumph as well after getting blanked by NU last time out with its lethal duo Nitura and Frances Mordi carrying the scoring cudgels alongside Fhei Sagaysay, Marie Joy Aseo, Lhouriz Tuddao, and Kamille Dionisio.
Meanwhile, Angel Canino and the Lady Spikers step on the floor anew while holding their chances of securing a quick route to the finale when they battle the hapless Blue Eagles, who are reeling from a four-game losing slide with its recent setback at UP’s hands.
Buoyed by a thrilling five-set escape over FEU, La Salle goes out with Canino, Shevana Laput, Amie Provido, and Eshana Nunag at its forefront, to extend its win streak over longtime rival in Ateneo, which is banking on Dona De Leon, Ana Hermosura, Alex Montoro, Zey Pacia, and Jihan Chuatico.
In the men’s division, Ateneo (6-5) and La Salle (5-6), sitting at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, seek a pivotal win to boost their semifinal bids, while UST (7-4) remains on track in its pursuit of the twice-to-beat incentive as it tangles with a slumping Adamson side (2-9).
