The University of Santo Tomas has already walked through fire twice. On Saturday, the Tigresses face their fiercest test yet.
Riding the momentum of back-to-back knockout victories, UST will try to complete a dramatic stepladder surge when it collides with defending champion National University for the last finals berth in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Game time is at 3 p.m., with the winner earning the right to challenge unbeaten De La Salle University in the best-of-three championship series beginning May 6 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
For the Tigresses, the match is more than a semifinal duel. It is a chance to avenge another painful elimination-round defeat, extend their defiant postseason run, and return to the Finals for the second time in three seasons.
UST entered the stepladder phase with its season hanging by a thread, but refused to break. The Tigresses first ousted Far Eastern University in the playoff for the No. 4 spot before crushing Adamson University’s finals dream in the quarterfinals.
Now comes NU, the battle-tested No. 2 seed and reigning champion that owns a twice-to-beat advantage’s equivalent benefit in the format through its precious semifinal bye.
UST coach Shaq delos Santos said the Tigresses will need to summon a far greater effort against the Lady Bulldogs, who escaped UST in a gripping five-set battle in the second round, 19-25, 23-25, 25-18, 25-18, 15-13.
“I think we need to put in more effort. Triple what we did in Adamson because of course, knowing NU, we know that they are always competitive,” Delos Santos said.
Delos Santos said that previous loss showed UST could stand toe-to-toe with the defending champions, but he stressed that the Tigresses must be sharper, tougher and more composed with the season on the line.
“Our last game against NU, I was very happy because it was just a little bit. I think the result could have changed. We will try,” he said.
The Tigresses have treated the stepladder as a gauntlet of redemption, targeting the higher-ranked teams that frustrated them during the eliminations.
Opposite spiker Regina Jurado said UST’s mindset remains anchored on turning past setbacks into fuel.
“Actually, we realized that all our losses from eliminations were from the upper ranked teams. The way we approached this Adamson game, the way we pulled out those losses from the eliminations, that’s how we’ll approach the next games,” Jurado said.
A UST victory would arrange its first finals showdown with La Salle since Season 71 in 2011, adding another layer of history to the Tigresses’ gritty campaign.
But standing in their path is a composed and dangerous NU side determined to protect its championship pedigree.
The Lady Bulldogs, who are chasing a fifth consecutive finals appearance, used their second-round escape against UST to secure the coveted No. 2 spot and avoid the opening stage of the stepladder. That rest may prove crucial, but NU coach Regine Diego warned that the Lady Bulldogs cannot afford complacency.
“We have to prepare not just physically, but mentally,” Diego said. “Hopefully, all conditions are equal during that time because we still have the advantage of being No. 2 because we still have time to perfect and fix our mistakes and hopefully get wins in the future.”
NU also has another mission: book a fourth finals clash with La Salle in the last five seasons and keep alive its bid to defend the crown.
Vange Alinsug said the Lady Bulldogs remain confident, but their optimism is grounded in discipline and preparation.
“We are always optimistic. Because of course, we know that our opponents are really tough. So for us, we are just going back to discipline and how much we like it. That will also start in practice,” Alinsug said.
With UST surging, NU waiting, and La Salle looming in the distance, Saturday’s showdown carries all the makings of a fierce, emotional and season-defining battle.
For the Tigresses, it is one more mountain to climb.
For the Lady Bulldogs, it is a championship gate to defend.