The Final Four cast is almost complete.
The Final Four picture in Season 85 of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament has gotten a lot clearer after the National University Lady Bulldogs’ convincing victory over the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws on Sunday at the PhilSports Arena. Improving their record to 8-3, the defending champions kept their bid to gain a twice-to-beat advantage, having the same-win loss card as two of the top three teams of tournament.
Also with an 8-3 slate are the Adamson Lady Falcons and the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses. Above them are the De La Salle University Lady Spikers who were beaten only once in 11 games. Meanwhile, as the Lady Bulldogs successfully imposed their will on the Lady Tamaraws, the Ateneo Blue Eagles got booted out of semifinals contention.
With a 4-7 record, there’s just no chance for the Oliver Almadro-mentored squad to advance. The Blue Eagles are set to miss the Final Four for the first time since Season 71.
As for FEU, whose record stands at 5-6, their survival is now dependent on the remaining matches of NU, UST, and Adamson. The Tamaraws will also have to sweep their remaining games against Ateneo, the Golden Tigresses and the Lady Falcons in order to have a shot at the semifinals.
The way it stands at the moment, the Lady Spikers are on their way to locking the top seed as they’re scheduled to face the lowly University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons and the Blue Eagles in two of their last three games in the second round of eliminations. The Lady Bulldogs, the Lady Falcons, and the Lady Tamaraws on the other hand, remain in contention for the number 2 seed.