By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THE ELIMINATION round of the women’s volleyball tournament of Season 81 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines goes into overdrive today with the defending champions De La Salle Lady Spikers and University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses disputing the second seed in a one-game playoff at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.

Finished the elimination phase with identical 10-4 records, the Lady Spikers and Tigresses are to break the tie in the scheduled 3:30 p.m. match where the victor earns the twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four.

The two teams though are the ones meeting in one bracket of the semifinals of Season 81 with the other pairing having top seeds Ateneo Lady Eagles against number four Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws.

La Salle could have avoided the playoff with UST and earned outright the Final Four incentive had it won its last game of the elimination versus FEU last Sunday.

Instead of notching the win, the Lady Spikers were dealt a stinging defeat in five sets by the Lady Tamaraws, 25-22, 13-25, 15-25, 27-25 and 15-8.

Rookie Jolina Dela Cruz had a solid game of 22 points with Tin Tiamzon and May Luna adding 17 and 15 points, respectively.

Those were not enough though to go past FEU which played steadier in the last two sets.

The Lady Spikers rued the missed opportunity but conceded they did not do what they were supposed to do and are looking forward to faring better in today’s game.

UST, meanwhile, finished the eliminations strong, winning four straight matches.

The Tigresses have expressed readiness to take on the challenge regardless if they wound second or third, bent on seeing their championship aspirations through.

“We are here so we have to continue working hard and to take it all the way,” said UST coach Kungfu Reyes after they finished their elimination schedule with a four-sets win over the National University Lady Bulldogs, 26-24, 25-17, 21-25 and 25-16, on April 27.

League leading scorer Sisi Rondina top-scored for the Tigresses with 21 points while Eya Laure finished with 13 against NU.

Meanwhile, for her solid performance against La Salle on Sunday, FEU graduating player Heather Guino-o earned UAAP player of the week honors.

Guino-o fired off 24 points to lead her team to the win that effectively derailed the Lady Spikers’ push to claim outright the number two spot heading into the Final Four.

The FEU leading scorer in winning the award, given by media covering the league, bested Chiara Permentilla of Adamson, Rondina, Kat Tolentino of Ateneo and Dela Cruz.

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