The UST Golden Tigresses and the DLSU Lady Spikers are going to face off in a high stakes series as they lock horns in the Final Four in UAAP women’s volleyball for the third year in a row, and the fourth time in the last five seasons.
After UST’s narrow loss to the NU Lady Bulldogs over the weekend, volleyball fans were gifted with another year of the Golden Tigresses’ rivalry against the Lady Spikers. The series begins on Wednesday with a one-game playoff for the twice-to-beat advantage at the Mall of Asia Arena.
With their head-to-head tied up at 1-1 for the year and with their records standing at identical 9-5, it seems like UST and La Salle are neck-and-neck more than ever.
From UST’s Cinderella trip to the Finals in UAAP Season 81, to La Salle’s breakthrough title in Season 85, both teams have enjoyed success in this storied rivalry — especially in the Final Four.
And as the result of the latest chapter of their rivalry remaining a tossup, there is no shortage of history to look back on before the feuding teams meet anew.
UAAP Season 81: UST denies La Salle chance at four-peat
Eliminations round results:R1 - UST def. La Salle (3-0) - 25-20, 25-22, 25-16
R2 - La Salle def. UST (3-1) - 21-25, 25-23, 25-19, 26-24
Final Four: Virtual best-of-three -- UST wins with 2-0 sweep
Among the earliest chapters of UST and La Salle’s rivalry in recent years came in UAAP Season 81, when La Salle was then the three-time defending champions.
Having seen the departure of La Salle trio Kim Kianna Dy, Majoy Baron, and Dawn Macandili the year before, the Lady Spikers were still considered the cream of the crop with the likes of Des Cheng, Jolina Dela Cruz, Aduke Ogunsanya, and Michelle Cobb leading the way.
But UST, which was powered by league MVP Sisi Rondina and budding Rookie of the Year Eya Laure, was just a different monster all together.
Thanks to Rondina’s experience and Laure’s firepower, the Golden Tigresses were able to push the Lady Spikers into the wall heading into the Final Four, where they needed to engage in a one-game playoff for the twice-to-beat advantage.
In the virtual best of three series, UST gained the upper hand with a four-set win on Labor Day in 2019, when they defeated the defending champions in four sets, 25-14, 25-23, 23-25, 25-19, which sealed their twice-to-beat bonus heading into the Final Four.
Then, UST completed their run to the finals under the banner of “Kami Naman” with a five-set thriller to dethrone the champions from Taft, 25-19, 25-19, 20-25, 23-25, 15-10.
UST would then go on to lose to eventual champions Ateneo in three games in the finals after Eya Laure was injured in the middle of the series.
UAAP Season 85: La Salle makes a championship comeback after UST's revenge game
Elimination round results:R1 - La Salle def. UST (3-2) - 25-20, 16-25, 25-8, 15-25, 16-14
R2 - UST def. La Salle (3-1) - 25-19, 14-25, 25-18, 25-12
Final Four: 1 vs 4 - Top-seed La Salle takes care of business in one game
Revenge was a long-time coming for La Salle after the COVID-19 pandemic stalled the UAAP for two years, with UAAP Season 82 cut short and Season 83 cancelled altogether.
When the league returned to action in UAAP Season 84, La Salle did not face UST in the semifinals, after the Golden Tigresses were eliminated earlier in the step-ladder format.
But the time finally came for the Lady Spikers in 2023, right when the league’s second Rookie MVP in Angel Canino spread out her wings for the Green and White.
Living up to the billing, Canino led La Salle to the top-seed where they only suffered one loss in elimination — at the hands of UST no less — to make sure to have the twice-to-beat semis advantage on their side this time around.
Despite Eya Laure’s iconic “no sweep” gesture in their second round encounter where they became the only team to blemish La Salle’s record en route to the postseason, the Lady Spikers seemed to have their number thanks to the emerging super rookie.
In the semifinals, La Salle needed only the one game to barge into the finals for the second time in just as many seasons since the league returned from COVID. Canino uncorked 19 points to lead La Salle past UST in four sets, 26-24, 25-22, 20-25, 25-19.
After banishing the ghost of Final Four past, La Salle continued to roll in the finals and successfully defeated defending champions NU in two grueling five setters to claim their first crown since UAAP Season 80.
UAAP Season 86: UST stops La Salle’s title defense in semis
Elimination round results:R1 - UST def. La Salle (3-2) - 25-18, 25-23, 14-25, 16-25, 15-12
R2 - UST def. La Salle (3-1) - 22-25, 25-23, 25-16, 25-15
Final Four: 2 vs 3 - UST sweeps season series against La Salle to end Lady Spikers’ reign
After Angel Canino’s revelation for La Salle in UAAP Season 85, UST had its own ace rookie in the form of Angge Poyos which powered UST to the 2-seed above defending champions La Salle in UAAP Season 86.
Much like Canino, Poyos showed early signs of promise for the Golden Tigresses.
True enough, Poyos unleashed 21 points in their first round encounter with La Salle, which set off what would be a four-game win streak in their head-to-head matchup until the first round of UAAP Season 87 against the Lady Spikers.
But perhaps more important for the Golden Tigresses was Poyos’ Final Four performance, scoring 28 points in a five-set thriller over the then-defending champions, 25-20, 16-25, 25-20, 19-25, 15-7.
After going through some health issues midway through the year, Poyos roared back when it mattered the most to send UST back into the finals for the first time since Rondina and Laure’s conquest in UAAP Season 81.
Though eventually falling in two games against Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, and the NU Lady Bulldogs in the finals, the Golden Tigresses were able to prove that they still had La Salle’s number.
UAAP Season 87: ?
Elimination round results: R1: UST def. La Salle (3-2) - 25-12, 22-25, 13-25, 25-23, 15-13
R2: La Salle def. UST (3-2) - 15-25, 25-17, 24-26, 25-20, 16-14
With all records thrown out the window as they enter another virtual best-of-three series, expect La Salle and UST to go all out.
Will the Golden Tigresses come roaring back to the finals for the second year in a row? Or will La Salle’s tried and tested system come into play?
Hit with injury before the season started, UST will lean on the likes of Poyos, Marga Althea, Reg Jurado, and libero Detdet Pepito to continue to solve La Salle’s puzzle. Meanwhile, Canino, MVP candidate Shevana Laput, and Amie Provido hope to continue the Lady Spikers’ winning tradition.
If there’s anything that the match up guarantees, it’s fireworks and high competition. It’s all in the team’s history.
The battle starts on Wednesday, April 30, 2 p.m. on One Sports Digital, One Sports, UAAP Varsity Channel, and the Pilipinas Live app.