UAAP: Adamson, Ateneo contest last spot in Final 4

MANILA, Philippines -- The Final 4 cast of the UAAP Season 84 women's volleyball tournament will be completed on Saturday, with defending champion Ateneo de Manila University and Adamson University fighting for the last semifinal spot.

The Blue Eagles and the Lady Falcons finished the elimination round with identical 8-6 win-loss records, setting up a knockout match at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Opening serve is at 5 p.m.

The do-or-die match is expected to be a toss-up, as the two squads split their elimination round encounters. Adamson won their first round meeting in four sets, but Ateneo rebounded in the second round by outlasting the Lady Falcons in a five-set classic that lasted nearly three hours.

Both teams are coming off morale-boosting victories. Adamson assured itself of a playoff for a Final 4 spot after shocking De La Salle University, 25-23, 17-25, 25-16, 26-24, in their final elimination round game on Thursday.

Leading the way was Trisha Genesis (20 points) and setter Louie Romero (24 excellent sets).

"Wala po talaga akong laro noong first set, sobrang bantay ako ng La Salle, tapos nangangapa ako," said Genesis, who ended the elimination round as the league's sixth best scorer.

"Ayaw ko lang talagang i-give up 'yung team, ayaw ko silang iwan. Kahit alam ko na medyo off, na hindi minsan maka-diskarte, nasa isip ko lang talaga hindi ko ibibigay, hinding-hindi ko iiwan 'yung team," she added.

Ateneo responded by defeating the University of the Philippines (UP), also in four sets, in their own assignment to set-up the one-game playoff for the No. 4 seed. Faith Nisperos had 19 points, but it was rookie middle blocker AC Miner who earned Player of the Match honors as she scored eight of her career-high 17 points on kill blocks.

"We have to accept the challenge and we have to do it right, and we have to fight back. Kailangan namin lumaban, kailangan namin maging aggressive," said Ateneo coach Oliver Almadro, whose players lost the first set before recovering for a 19-25, 25-11, 25-18, 25-19 win.

"Kasi, we thought 'di kami lalabanan, pero we have to be aggressive. Noong nakita namin na kailangan namin maging aggressive, nag-respond naman 'yung mga players. Of course, we thank God na walang injuries, and we really hope and pray for more strength," he added.

A victory for Adamson will mean their first Final 4 appearance since Season 76, when they were also the fourth seed. Ateneo, meanwhile, is looking to extend a streak of 10 consecutive Final 4 appearances. The Blue Eagles last missed the semifinals in 2009.

The winner of the match will play the third-seeded University of Santo Tomas on June 14, still at the MOA Arena. It will be another knockout affair, with the winner moving on to play the No. 2 De La Salle Lady Spikers in the next phase of the step-ladder semis.

Already waiting in the finals are the unbeaten National University Lady Bulldogs.