IF there’s any team that knows a thing or two about making noise in the Final Four, it’s Far Eastern University.
READ: Nothing guaranteed even though NU unbeaten vs. all of UST, La Salle, FEU
When it comes to the UAAP’s winningest women’s volleyball program and the modern-day perennial winners, expect nothing less than fireworks and a proper scuffle for a spot in the best-of-three championship series.
# 1 National U vs. # 4 FEU
- GAME 1: May 3 (Saturday), 2 p.m. - Smart Araneta Coliseum
- *GAME 2 (if necessary): May 7 (Wednesday) - TBC
And recent history tells us that this matchup might not easily swing in one direction.
Surviving the shockwaves
Both National U and FEU were in identical positions entering last year’s semifinal round.
The redemption-seeking Lady Bulldogs had the top seed and the twice-to-beat advantage on lock, as the Lady Tams grabbed the last semis spot.
That series went nowhere close to being a cakewalk for NU, as some might have first expected.
Morayta pulled off the greatest trick up its sleeve by taking down Jhocson in a 25-23, 25-17, 25-23 straight-sets stunner.
It forced eventual season MVP Bella Belen & Co. to max out their twice-to-beat incentive in what seemed to be an unlikely rubber match at the time.
Backs against the wall, it was then championship poise on full display as the blue-and-gold returned the favor with a 25-13, 27-25, 25-15 sweep of its own against FEU.
‘NU’ sweep
That Season 86 Final Four-opening win cemented FEU’s stature as a legitimate title contender — more so with an intact player core and the head coaching return of Lady Tams legend Tina Salak.
But in the five matches the green-and-gold lost in the ongoing tournament, two were dealt by a National U side led by seven-time PVL champion coach Sherwin Meneses.
NU vs. FEU in elims
- Round 1: NU def. FEU (5 sets); 25-15, 23-25, 24-26, 25-23, 15-8.
- Round 2: NU def. FEU (4 sets); 25-22, 24-26, 26-24, 25-18.
The Lady Bulldogs' first-round win over the Lady Tams took everything and more for the former to break past the latter's brave charge.
Down two sets to one, the NU 'Big 3' took over, as Alyssa Solomon (23 points), Belen (21 points), and Vange Alinsug (19 points) connived for 63 markers to complete a massive five-set comeback.
Mainstay Jean Asis held down the fort for FEU in the loss with 20 points, as their eventual leading scorer Gerz Petallo dished out a 19-reception, 11-dig, 6-point output.
National U made sure to hold a firmer grasp of victory come the second round, as it dispatched FEU in just four sets after a sorry five-set loss to the University of the Philippines the game before.
Solomon flexed her mastery of the Lady Tams with a 30-piece, as Belen’s 18 and Alinsug’s 13 formed a 61-point masterpiece to complete the season sweep over their eventual Final Four rival.
This time, Congolese winger Faida Bakanke pitched in 21 to pace another FEU loss to NU.
Offense versus defense
Adding further intrigue to this Final Four showdown was how the numbers game played out in the elimination round.
National U emerged as the best spiking and serving team of Season 87, with a 35.74 percent success rate and a team average of 1.60 aces per set.
Apart from being the league’s best server with 0.57 aces per set, Belen also topped the spiking department (37.76 percent success rate), with Solomon in third (37.02 percent) and Alinsug in eighth (34.66 percent).
The defending champions also topped the digging and setting departments with 11.75 excellent digs per set and 6.23 excellent sets per set.
Belen ranked fifth in digging (2.79 digs) and even third in receiving (44.44 percent efficiency), along with libero Shaira Jardio who ranked third in digging (3.64 digs) and sixth in receiving (41.71 percent).
Lams Lamina led the field in playmaking with 5.34 excellent sets per set.
The thing is, the league’s best scoring and floor-defending team will lock horns with the best blocking team.
FEU charged atop the blocking department that La Salle has led for so long in years past with a team average of 2.45 blocks per set.
Fronting the terrorizing net defense are Jaz Ellarina (0.53 blocks per set) in third and Bakanke in seventh (0.47 excellent sets).
And so, will the Lady Tams' unmatched net defense take the wheel en route to an elusive 30th crown or will the Lady Bulldogs break down the wall anew?
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