Games on Saturday
(Araneta Coliseum)
10 a.m. – NU vs UST (men’s Final Four)
12 p.m. – FEU vs DLSU (men’s Final Four)
2 p.m. – NU vs FEU (women’s Final Four)
6 p.m. – UST vs DLSU (women’s Final Four)

DE LA Salle University (DLSU) turned back University of Santo Tomas (UST) in a gritty come-from-behind win, 23-25, 25-20, 30-28, 29-27, to secure the No. 2 seed and the last Final Four bonus in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball playoff on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Lady Spikers melted a 17-22 deficit in the extended fourth set, swatting a barrage of attacks from the usually fiery Golden Tigresses out to force a decider for a defensive masterclass in two hours and 30 minutes.

Overall, La Salle tallied 20 blocks — the most by any team this season — including three in the tail end of the fourth frame none bigger than setter Julyana Tolentino’s swat on Maribeth Hilongo followed by Shevana Laput’s down-the-line hammer for the gusty win.

La Salle’s net dominance complemented the 24 points of super spiker Angel Canino, who also contributed in blocking with four blocks plus an ace, entering the semis duel against the same squad on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Reigning champion and No. 1 seed National University (NU) battles the fourth-ranked Far Eastern University in the other bracket.

Ms. Laput added 22 points on 19 hits, two blocks and an ace while Amie Provido, Ms. Tolentino and Alleiah Malaluan, who had 11 points, joined the party with five, four and three blocks, respectively.

La Salle obliged, clawing back in the final two sets that both reached deuces to own the coveted win-once bonus this time after settling for the third seed last year. Then at a disadvantage, the Lady Spikers were eliminated by second-ranked and twice-to-beat-armed Golden Tigresses in one attempt to surrender their throne.

After splitting the first two sets, the Lady Spikers stared to a 20-22 deficit in the third but still pulled off a 30-28 win behind Ms. Canino’s explosion in the nick of time with back-to-back hits.

It’s the same story in the fourth, where the Golden Tigresses appeared headed into forcing a decider like their first two encounters this season only to be zapped by the Lady Spikers’ searing comeback behind a defensive clinic.

It’s the first four-setter win for either team after three-straight five-setters since the Final Four last year, including a split this season.

“We’ve been given this chance so we’re not just gonna throw away this shot. We fought for this. We know we needed this twice-to-beat advantage,” said Ms. Laput as La Salle made up for two crucial losses in their final three games of the eliminations to miss out on an outright bonus.

Angge Poyos (24), Regina Jurado (12) and Hilongo (8) stood their ground but Santo Tomas will still march into the Final Four at a disadvantage this time around for a harder route to a finale return.

The Golden Tigresses only had eight blocks compared to the Lady Spikers’ truckload, getting shut down in succession to absorb their second straight loss en route to the semis after also crucial five-setter defeat to the mighty NU Lady Bulldogs in the final game of the elims.

A win by Santo Tomas against NU then could have given it the coveted second spot right away without a playoff but to no avail. And with another shot against their archrivals, the Golden Tigresses stumbled anew. — John Bryan Ulanday