John Franklin Kennedy Caacbay

UAAP 88 WVB FEU vs. UST - Angge Poyos-4205

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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1777028195000UAAP 88 WVB FEU vs. UST - Angge Poyos-4205.JPG" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>UAAP Media</div>MANILA — University of Santo Tomas (UST), despite having defeated Far Eastern University (FEU) twice in the eliminations, is not taking its traditional rivals lightly as the two storied programs look to advance in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball step-ladder on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.The winner of the 3 p.m. match will face resurgent No. 3 Adamson University in the stepladder quarterfinals — a do-or-die clash set on Wednesday.Defending two-time champion National University (NU) earned a bye and will face the first step-ladder winner in another win-or-go-home match on May 2 to determine the other finalist.Unbeaten De La Salle University secured an outright berth in the best-of-three championship series after completing a 14-game sweep of the double-round eliminations. The Lady Spikers, who defeated the Lady Bulldogs 27-25, 15-25, 23-25, 25-23, 15-13 last Sunday, will return to action on May 6 after a two-week break.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/volleyball/2026/4/22/uaap-national-u-secures-second-seed-pushes-ust-to-playoff-vs-feu-2005">READ: UAAP: National U secures second seed, pushes UST to playoff vs. FEU </a></div>The Tigresses last Wednesday missed the chance to secure the No. 4 seed outright and earn crucial rest heading into the step-ladder round, allowing the Lady Tamaraws to stay alive and force a tie at 8-6.UST squandered a two-set lead against NU and fell 25-19, 25-23, 18-25, 18-25, 13-15 last Wednesday, on the same day FEU kept its season alive with a 22-25, 23-25, 25-12, 25-21, 15-10 reverse sweep of Ateneo de Manila University.For coach Shaq delos Santos, a quick recovery is what the Tigresses need most, especially with FEU coming in with renewed confidence after its reprieve.&quot;Good thing ay meron kaming one day tomorrow (Friday) kasi nag-recover talaga kami today (Thursday). Aaralin namin ulit yung FEU and siyempre, kami mismo, kung paano kami magpalakas. Reset lang ulit sa pagkatalo namin yesterday (Wednesday), but good experience para sa amin ’yon. Hopefully, madala namin yon going into sa knockout game namin,&quot; Delos Santos said.Gunning for a sixth consecutive Final Four appearance, UST cannot afford any missteps if it hopes to extend its streak. The Tigresses last missed the semifinals in 2018.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/volleyball/2026/4/22/uaap-feu-completes-reverse-sweep-vs-ateneo-to-keep-postseason-hopes-alive-1648">READ: UAAP: FEU completes reverse sweep vs. Ateneo to keep postseason hopes alive </a></div>&quot;Yung pressure, nandoon na. Siyempre, parang do-or-die na kumbaga, lalo na sa akin. Ang hirap lang din na mabigat talaga yung laro for [Saturday] dahil battle for the Final Four ’yon. Kailangan ko mapakita sa mga bata na mabigat ‘man yung nakasalalay doon, kailangan namin mag-enjoy kasi lagi ko sinasabi na pag nage-enjoy kami, mas madali manalo,&quot; said team captain-libero Detdet Pepito.&quot;Magsisimula talaga sa ensayo. For sure, mas gigil naman talaga silang bumawi. Sana mas maging motivated yung mga players, especially lagi kong rineremind na ayaw ko pang mag-pro, pahabain niyo yung buhay natin sa UAAP,&quot; she added.It has been a challenging campaign for the Lady Tamaraws, who rebounded from a straight-set loss to Adamson with a sweep of Ateneo to stay in contention for a third straight Final Four appearance.&quot;Sabi ko naman sa kanila, kahit 2 percent lang. Ngayon, binibigyan pa kami ng 2 percent kasi nanalo pa kami. Kung magkaroon pa kami ng mas malaking chance, we&#x27;ll take it without any questions, without any reasons kasi ito yung pinaghandaan namin for Season 88,&quot; FEU coach Tina Salak said.&quot;I know mahirap for us na nagkakaroon kami ng ganitong struggle, but definitely going against UST this Saturday, pusuan na. For me, it&#x27;s about wanting kung ano ba talagang gusto namin. Dapat lahat kami pare-pareho and for the next two days, ang gagawin namin sa training, kailangan naming i-build &#x27;yon,&quot; she added.Team captain Gerz Petallo kept things simple for the Lady Tamaraws, who were swept by the Tigresses in the eliminations for the first time since 2023.&quot;Zero-zero lang talaga kasi hindi pa tapos yung laban. Kailangan lang namin bumalik at pusuan pa ng mas angat pa. Napakita naman namin na talagang pinusuan namin yung game,&quot; Petallo said.Meanwhile, six-peat-seeking NU and UST, meeting for the second time this week, dispute the remaining twice-to-beat slot in the men’s Final Four at 1 p.m.The Golden Spikers forced a tie with the Bulldogs at 10-4 following a 30-28, 25-18, 22-25, 25-23 win last Wednesday.&quot;For our immediate goal, we&#x27;re one step closer na mag-rank No. 2. Ngayon, we&#x27;re tied lang for No. 2, so merong playoff. Overachieving na siguro if we win the Final Four, but syempre, kailangan mataas palagi yung goal namin. Lahat naman ng players, gusto manalo,&quot; UST coach Odjie Mamon said.A victory will put the Golden Spikers on the cusp of returning to the finals after missing out last year.NU coach Dante Alinsunurin, meanwhile, knows his team must get back on the same page to snap out of its rough patch after back-to-back losses to La Salle and UST to close the eliminations.&quot;Siguro nagiging problema lang namin &#x27;yung trust sa isa’t isa like from players to players. May mga situation kasi talaga na yung mga panalo namin, talagang napuwersa lang talaga. ’’Yung nakikita namin ng mga coaches na siguro ’yung trust talaga to each other, na every time na nasa loob ng court or hindi pinapasok, and kung ano ’yung performance ng team, kaya mas iniintindi namin ng mga players kung paano i-uplift ’yung sarili kaysa sa team,&quot; Alinsunurin said.Top-ranked FEU, meanwhile, will face No. 4 Ateneo in the Final Four on Wednesday, armed with a twice-to-beat advantage.

University of Santo Tomas, despite having defeated Far Eastern University twice in the eliminations, is not taking its traditional rivals lightly as the two storied programs look to advance in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball step-ladder on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.

University of Santo Tomas, despite having defeated Far Eastern University twice in the eliminations, is not taking its traditional rivals lightly as the two storied programs look to advance in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball step-ladder on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.

UAAP: UST, FEU duke it out to earn right to face Adamson in step-ladder

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UAAP: UST, FEU duke it out to earn right to face Adamson in step-ladder

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Published April 24, 2026 10:30 PM PHT

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UAAP Season 88

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