Jose Rizal University and Lyceum of the Philippines will tussle on Tuesday with the winner slated to complete the Final Four cast of the NCAA Season 97 women's volleyball tournament.
JRU and Lyceum, both toting identical 4-4 win-loss cards, are expected to go full throttle in their 2:00 p.m. encounter in a bid to join College of Saint Benilde, Arellano University, and San Sebastian in the playoffs.
Both teams are coming off victories with the Lady Bombers sweeping the Lady Red Spikers last Friday, 25-19, 25-16, 25-19, while the Lady Pirates scored a huge upset over San Sebastian with a five-set romp, 25-27, 25-22, 16-25, 25-18, 15-13.
And neither squad seems ready to go home just yet.
JRU head coach Mia Tioseco said they have to minimize their errors, especially against a Lyceum side being led by young guns Johna Dolorito, Jewel Maligmat, Jaja Tulang, and setter Venice Puzon.
With JRU leaning on graduating Dolly Verzosa and Kia Melgar as well as Riza Rose and Sydney Niegos, the Lady Bombers stressed they are out to fight it all out.
"Kailangan going into the LPU game, mas kailangan namin siyang tutukan (errors)," said Tioseco. "Laban lang nang laban hanggang sa huling pito, 'yun yung lagi kong sinasabi sa kanila."
LPU, though, is out to do the same after having committed 43 errors against San Sebastian.
"Actually, inuunti-unti namin siyang (errors) binabawasan. Pinapababa talaga namin, especially sa service namin kasi magbibigay kami ng sampu or siyam na puntos sa isang set so kaunti na lang talaga gagawin ng kalaban namin," said LPU coach Cromwel Garcia.
"We will try na limitahan ['yung errors] dito sa laban sa JRU."
The winner of the JRU-Lyceum clash will face third-seed San Sebastian in the first knockout stepladder semifinals, with the victor advancing to take on three-time defending champion Arellano in the next phase.
Undefeated CSB, meanwhile, is already waiting in the finals, which will be in a best-of-three series.
—JMB, GMA News
