John Franklin Kennedy Caacbay

UAAP88 WVB - ADU vs UP - Shaina Marie Nitura--7599

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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1776415544447UAAP88 WVB - ADU vs UP - Shaina Marie Nitura--7599.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Adamson University&#x27;s Shaina Nitura. UAAP Media</div>MANILA — Adamson University shoots for its first Final Four appearance in three years as it faces Far Eastern University (FEU), which is also fighting for a place in the next round, Saturday in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.After finishing third in 2023, the Lady Falcons went through a painful rebuild following the exodus of key players from their Season 85 bronze medal squad.Bannered by sophomores Shai Nitura and Fhei Sagaysay — who led Adamson’s historic high school girls’ volleyball title run in Season 86 — the Lady Falcons have already surpassed last year’s six-win output and are now on the cusp of ending their Final Four drought.&quot;Siguro for me, unti-unti papunta naman kami doon sa ginugusto namin. Pero siyempre, we are always a work in progress. Hindi naman all the time perfect, may mga lapses namin. We appreciate rin &#x27;yung mga effort ng mga bata sa training, on how they respond, paano pag-aralan ang kalaban. For me, I am very grateful na unti-unti nafu-fulfill namin &#x27;yung gusto namin mangyari,&quot; Adamson coach JP Yude said.The Lady Falcons aim to get the job done and avoid any playoff complications in their 5 p.m. duel with the Lady Tamaraws, which caps the final QPav matchday of the season.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/volleyball/2026/4/15/uaap-adamson-women-eliminate-up-boost-final-four-bid-1921">READ: UAAP: Adamson women eliminate UP, boost Final Four bid </a></div>Meanwhile, Ateneo de Manila University and University of the East clash in a duel of also-rans at 11 a.m.Adamson currently holds an 8-5 record in third place, half a game ahead of University of Santo Tomas and FEU, which both carry 7-5 slates.The Lady Tamaraws need to win their last two matches — against the Lady Falcons and the Blue Eagles on Wednesday — to secure a Final Four berth. A split in those games would most likely push FEU into a playoff for the No. 4 spot.The Tigresses are also in a must-win situation to reach the Final Four. UST will face already-eliminated University of the Philippines on Sunday and defending champion National University on Wednesday.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/volleyball/2026/4/15/uaap-la-salle-breezes-past-ue-inches-closer-to-elims-sweep-1306">READ: UAAP: La Salle breezes past UE, inches closer to elims sweep </a></div>De La Salle University, meanwhile, is gunning for an outright passage to the finals. The Lady Spikers seek to complete a 14-match sweep of the eliminations against the Lady Bulldogs (9-3), which would trigger a step-ladder format for the remaining finals berth on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.Aside from denying its rivals an automatic finals slot, NU is also looking to assure itself of the twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four.As FEU eyes a third consecutive Final Four berth, coach Tina Salak knows it will require sacrifices to achieve the team’s goals.&quot;Actually, mahirap balansehin. Remember, student-athlete &#x27;yan. We don&#x27;t know kung ano nangyayari after training. Kailangan namin ma-monitor, as coaches, kailangan namin ma-monitor kung saan kami nagkukulang kasi aware kami sa season namin na performance. Good thing is nagco-compromise lahat. Nagmi-meet kami sa kung ano &#x27;yung best possible na puwede naming magawa for them para mag-recover at maibigay &#x27;yung A-game namin at para hindi mag-lose sight sa goal namin,&quot; Salak said.Cla Loresco, who will face her Alas teammate Nitura, has been performing well as of late.&quot;Siguro nung mga past games namin, alam ko naman sa sarili ko na hindi pa ‘yon &#x27;yung todo ko na laro. Parang nanonood ako ng games ko dati at kung paano ako tumiming sa palo, kung paano ako mag-serve, at kung paano ako mag-block. Ngayon, kailangan lang talaga humingi ng tulong kay Lord kasi palagi naman siyang nandiyan. Kailangan ko rin bigyan ng action para mag-meet kami halfway ni Lord,&quot; said Loresco after scoring a personal season-high 17 points in the Lady Tamaraws’ 25-21, 22-25, 25-19, 25-22 win over the Fighting Maroons last Sunday.With a Final Four debut within reach, Nitura is working doubly hard to elevate her game.&quot;Siyempre I think everyone naman &#x27;pag may gusto, talagang ipilit, gagawa ng paraan, kaliwa, kanan, baba at taas kung gusto mo talaga. Pero &#x27;yun nga, dahil nga coaches here, &#x27;yung mga tao sa paligid ko are guiding me, and God is guiding me as well na if hindi &#x27;yun makuha, at hindi ko makuha &#x27;yung resulta na gusto kong makuha, I have to like, think about them. Mas may other plans, mas may magagandang plans si God sa gusto kong mangyari. So I just have to trust and respond well, and just trust God&#x27;s will, palagi. Kasi &#x27;yun naman &#x27;yung team namin eh. Doon kami pinalaki ni coach at doon kami naniniwala. If it&#x27;s not now, maybe we just have to be patient and wait for the right time to come,&quot; Nitura said.In the men’s division, Final Four-bound Ateneo takes on UE at 9 a.m., while FEU looks to inch closer to securing the No. 1 ranking as it faces Adamson at 3 p.m.After ending a seven-year wait, the Blue Eagles are eager to build momentum in their last two matches and enter the Final Four on a high note.Sitting in third place at 7-5, Ateneo’s best possible finish at the end of the eliminations is No. 3, which would set up a Final Four showdown with NU.&quot;Going into our next game, siyempre ang focus namin ay aaralin pa rin namin. Magiging disiplinado pa rin kami doon sa pag-aaral namin. Oo, mataas ang emotion ngayon, pero malaki na &#x27;yung tiwala ko at confident ako sa kanila na kayang-kaya nila i-handle &#x27;yung emotion nila. Hindi nila kailangan dalhin &#x27;yung emotion na &#x27;yon at pwede pa namin taasan &#x27;yung intensity namin coming into our next game para makuha namin yung win na &#x27;yon,&quot; said coach Vince Mangulabnan after Ateneo’s 25-22, 25-23, 25-22 win over La Salle last week that clinched the last Final Four spot.The Tamaraws and the Bulldogs have already secured twice-to-beat advantages with 11-1 and 10-2 records, respectively, though their final elimination rankings have yet to be determined.UST currently holds third place at 8-4.

Adamson University shoots for its first Final Four appearance in three years as it faces Far Eastern University, which is also fighting for a place in the next round, Saturday in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

Adamson University shoots for its first Final Four appearance in three years as it faces Far Eastern University, which is also fighting for a place in the next round, Saturday in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

UAAP: Adamson targets Final Four return against fellow semis-seeking FEU

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UAAP: Adamson targets Final Four return against fellow semis-seeking FEU

ABS-CBN News

Published April 17, 2026 10:30 PM PHT

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Updated April 17, 2026 11:41 PM PHT

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UAAP Season 88

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