As KO fit looms, that is how issues will boil right down to between UST and La Salle

Once once more, fierce competitors University of Santo Tomas and La Salle will have interaction in what’s nearly a best-of-three for the No. 2 spot within the UAAP Season 87 girls’s volleyball event.

Game 1 is the knockout for twice-to-beat coverage on Wednesday. Game 2 is the beginning of the Final Four on Saturday, the place the winner of “Game 1” can sweep its approach to a championship berth.

If the staff that falls to the 3rd spot wins Saturday’s sport, it’s going to necessitate a knockout fit—a deciding Game 3, if you’re going to.

All for what? A shot at dethroning runaway No. 1 National University.

“I am happy that [NU’s] just waiting, hayahay buhay (such an easy life),” UST captain Detdet Pepito mentioned paradoxically. “So take your time while we are fighting hard.”

Then, addressing buddy and NU megastar Bella Belen, the ace libero persisted lathering the postgame presser that adopted the Lady Bulldogs’ 23-25, 25-17, 25-18, 22-25, 15-9 victory on Sunday evening over the Tigresses with extra of her emblem of humor.

“I wish you gave more thought to [the game] earlier. I wish you would’ve chosen us as your Finals opponents,” Pepito joked.

UST would have claimed the No. 2 spot with a victory in opposition to NU, which had not anything at stake in Sunday evening’s scheduled come upon. But the Lady Bulldogs saved issues truthful, exhibiting the shape and can that makes the rest UAAP agenda a prolong of the inevitable.

Pepito was once severe simplest about something: “We still want to face [NU] in the Finals.”

She and her fearless Tigresses should do this the onerous manner.

More preparation, relaxation

UST faces La Salle at 2 p.m. at Mall of Asia Arena, taking a look to take step one towards forging a rematch of ultimate yr’s championship tussle.

The Lady Spikers are out to be sure that doesn’t occur.

La Salle can be getting into the all-important fit having had extra time to organize. The Lady Spikers also are heading into the fit with an extra day of relaxation. Those may well be pivotal within the knockout fit.

La Salle has vengeance in its thoughts, hoping to rewrite the finishing of a tale that has grew to become out eerily very similar to ultimate yr’s.

“We’re happy to reach this situation and hopefully we get to handle it well,” UST trainer KungFu Reyes mentioned. “We’ll do our best to get through this Final Four.”

“[La Salle and UST] know each other very well. We both know each other’s star [players], go-to guys,” Reyes mentioned. “When it’s the playoffs, everything boils down to a battle of wills and smarts.” INQ