UAAP Women’s Volleyball: how UP’s upset win over FEU complicated things

I have actually not written much about the ongoing UAAP volleyball season for a reason: I transformed myself from journalist to fan. Both the men’s and women’s wars have been intriguing and now that we approach the homestretch, every win and loss is now magnified tenfold, especially for all the teams still in contention for the Final Four.

However, one team that is out of the running will always be close to my heart and by the baby steps they’ve taken this season, it appears as if they’ve made greater strides than many thought possible.

The University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroons pulled the rug from under the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws in four hard-fought sets, 26-24, 25-16, 16-25, 25-19, and even if the ladies from Morayta were playing with one key player short, the Dilimanians strung it together at the right time and now I find myself proposing a bonfire at the campus’ renowned Sunken Garden to celebrate the victory.

I’m quite certain most of you know that I’m a UP alum.

I’m so biased towards my alma mater when it plunges into the realms of men’s basketball and women’s volleyball because I know they are works in progress on both fronts. Our hoops squad had another dismal 0-14 run in Season 76 and thanks to a rebuilding University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors, the UP volleybelles were able to highlight its improvements in the new program under former Hope Christian High School mentor Jerry Yee and the Lady Maroons picked up a convincing first round triumph after scaring Adamson and the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

The Lady Maroons are out of the running for a Final Four berth this season, but the win against FEU—still struggling to crash into the post season—is a special moment for the educational institution whose recruitment program will never be at par with its closest competition in the league.

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Lady Tams center Remy Palma missed the match due a left knee injury (conflicting reports allege that she has a ligament issue or a major sprain) and FEU’s net defenses were infiltrated time and time again by the taller UP squad. Besides wunderkind Bernadeth Pons—who finished with 22 markers—FEU could not find any other consistent offensive source as the only team that stole a set from undefeated reigning titlists De La Salle University (DLSU) sorely needed a frontline stopper and first year recruit Genevieve Casugod could handle UP all on her own.

In stark contrast, UP setter Nicole Tiamson went almost exclusively to her pagodas as quickers Kathy Bersola and Angeli Araneta combined for 35 points and spikers Sheeka Espinosa and Monica Ortiz added a combined 25 more as the Lady Maroons climbed to 2-11 and will be closing the season against the last placed Lady Warriors on Sunday (February 16th). Another victory over UE will give the Lady Maroons their first win streak in ages.

For FEU (6-7, 17 pts.), they must now pray for several things to happen for their now longshot at a Final Four appearance to happen:

Firstly, that they defeat third running Ateneo (who may opt to rest some of its stars--notably Alyssa Valdez) on the final playdate of the season (Sunday, February 16th) in at least four sets and secondly that Adamson (6-7, 19 pts.) loses to a still hopeful UST squad on Saturday (February 15th) in not more than five sets.

If any one of the above scenarios fail to materialize, then the Lady Falcons—which dropped a heartbreaking four set loss to the National University (NU) in the nightcap, 15-25, 25-23, 25-20, 34-32—will march into the Final Four as the fourth seed because if UST beats Adamson, but in five sets, the Lady Falcons still go through by virtue of having more points (20-19).

UST (4-8, 13 pts.)—believe it or not—still has a slim but realistic chance of advancing to the playoffs, but need a lot of help.

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First they need to sweep their remaining assignments (Ateneo on Wednesday, February 12th and Adamson on Saturday, February 15th) within four sets and hope that FEU loses its last match against Ateneo. That will leave Adamson stranded at nineteen points and will have to engage the Tigresses in a sudden-death battle for the last Final Four slot. If this happens and UST prevails twice over the Lady Falcons, then they would have completed the most unlikely resurrections in league history and—depending on whether or not DLSU sweeps the tournament—now have to win six do-or-die games (if the Lady Spikers go undefeated) to win the championship.

In essence, the two remaining encounters for the Tigresses are already of a do-or-die nature. But they need assistance from Ateneo (beating FEU and losing to the Tigresses) if they intend this incredible scenario to even begin playing out.

What will be interesting here is that there is also a chance that a three-way tie for the fourth spot may occur—Adamson, FEU and UST all finishing with a 6-8 record. The tiebreaker will depend on how UST attained the two victories necessary to force this set up.

If the Tigresses win over Ateneo and Adamson in not more than four sets, then the Lady Tamaraws (inferior point total) get eliminated and UST will take on Adamson in a playoff for the fourth berth. If in one of UST’s two remaining games they happen to claim victory in the fifth set, then Adamson will go through due to having more overall points.

In a three-way tie scenario FEU is automatically eliminated, hence the Lady Tamaraws need to somehow get Palma back for their final tiff against the Lady Eagles, otherwise the loss to UP could just have been their season going down the drain.

It’s also going to be a sick finish over at the men’s side of things as La Salle and Adamson are contesting the final slot in the Final Four, while NU, Ateneo and FEU are still mixing it up on who actually claims the twice-to-beat edge. It’s actually going to be a wild one as no team has a lock on anything there.

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I’m just happy that UP is going to finish with a multiple-win season. That is a major breakthrough. If Araneta does decide to stay for her fifth year (rumors are spreading that she has expressed her intent to be drafted in the upcoming Philippine Super Liga draft), then the Lady Maroons have a solid foundation and will surely be contending for at least a Final Four seat in Season 77.

For FEU—if they do bow out—they can’t blame themselves for the loss against UP. They have the most number of freshmen in the league (seven) and were considered in “rebuilding” mode. They have over exceeded many expectations already. When injured Mayjorie Roxas comes back to full strength next year and their USA transferee Gerri Malabanan completes her residency requirements, the Lady Tamaraws will also be poised to make a lot of noise.

But can FEU upend Ateneo (will Valdez actually sit out the last two games of the season)? Will Adamson hang on to the statistical advantages it possesses? Will UST pull off the most bizarre comeback ever? Will NU turn this to a regular Final Four or will DLSU trounce everyone for a stepladder finale? Will UP win in back-to-back matches?—I just had to throw that in there.

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Stay tuned for the riveting conclusion to what has been one of the most unpredictable seasons yet.

Follow Noel Zarate on Twitter (@NoelZarate) and email sportztackle@yahoo.com