MANILA, Philippines – Finalist Ateneo will have to wait a little longer before plunging back into action in the UAAP Season 77 women’s volleyball tournament.
The Lady Eagles won’t see action until March 14, nearly a month since the last game of the eliminations where they reasserted their mastery over rival De La Salle last Feb. 18.
Ateneo earned an outright finals berth and a thrice-to-beat advantage after sweeping the 14-game elimination round.
That sweep paved way for a stepladder semifinal for the second straight year in the women’s division. It was the Lady Spikers who swept the eliminations last season but the Lady Eagles, led by Alyssa Valdez, overcame tremendous odds to win the championship.
The semifinals won’t begin until Sunday with no. 3 National University, which is peaking at the right time after Roger Gorayeb took over the coaching reins in the middle of the season, facing the winner of the playoff between Far Eastern University and University of Santo Tomas.
The Lady Tamaraws and Golden Tigresses finished the elimination round tied in fourth with identical 6-8 records. La Salle is in second at 14-2 with both of its losses coming at the hands of Ateneo.
The FEU-UST playoff is set on Wednesday, 4 p.m., at the Mall of Asia Arena after a pair of Final Four games in men’s action.
In the men’s division, UST, owning a twice-to-beat edge for securing the second spot, looks to dethrone No. 3 National University in the first game before top seed Ateneo battled No. 4 Adamson.
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