FAR Eastern University threw a wrench into the inner workings of the UAAP Season 87 second seed at La Salle’s expense, 25-20, 28-26, 20-25, 25-23, on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
While the two women's volleyball semifinalists ended the elimination round with identical 9-5 records and University of Santo Tomas (9-4) may join them as well, the Lady Tamaraws are no longer in the running for the second seed and locked into No. 4 due to their inferior set ratio among the three teams.
Still, with mainstay winger Gerz Petallo brilliant all throughout, the green-and-gold's first win over the Lady Spikers in six years complicated seeding matters for the latter.
Following a convincing first set win, FEU kept hold of the driver’s seat with two set points on hand at 24-22 in the second frame. Angel Canino, however, rallied La Salle to two set points of its own before Petallo extended Morayta’s advantage over Taft.
The Lady Spikers then refused to surrender their shot at the coveted playoff bonus, though, as four unanswered points forced a fourth set extension to the match.
A late officiating fiasco on a player substitution may have kept the dying moments of the match on pause, but rookie winger Lovely Lopez had enough ice in her veins to cap a huge win for the Lady Tams in her best outing yet.
Now, confident and capable FEU looks ahead to a face-off with reigning titlist and twice-to-beat National U in the Final Four.
La Salle limps into semifinals
On the other hand, La Salle now hopes for a Lady Bulldogs triumph over the Golden Tigresses on Sunday still at the same venue, so that a playoff for the second seed will be set up.
Had they won against the Lady Tamaraws, all they would have needed to clinch No. 2 was a UST loss to National U - with no more playoff necessary.
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