The defending champions, National University Lady Bulldogs, are the only team assured of a spot in the final four in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
The last three spots are being fought for by four schools – the De La Salle University Lady Spikers, the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses, the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, and the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons.
As of writing time, the Lady Spikers and the Golden Tigresses are tied in the second and third spots with an identical 8-4 win-loss record, closely followed by the Lady Tamaraws with an 8-5 record.
The Fighting Maroons, who have a six-six win-loss record, still have a chance to qualify for the Final Four.
Here are the scenarios in which these four teams can qualify for the final four.
Lady Spikers: One Win to Qualify, Two Wins to Have an Advantage
The De La Salle University Lady Spikers have two games left – against the soaring Adamson University Lady Falcons on Wednesday, April 23, and against the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws on Saturday, April 26.
The Lady Falcons are currently on a two-game winning streak against Final Four contenders National University Lady Bulldogs and the Lady Tamaraws.
In the first round, the Lady Spikers swept the Lady Falcons, 25-21, 26-24, 25-20, behind Alleiah Malaluan’s 16 points and Angel Canino’s 15 points.
Against the Lady Tamaraws, the Lady Spikers also swept them in the first round, 25-17, 25-20, 25-22, behind Shevana Laput’s 22 points.
If the Lady Spikers win against the Lady Falcons and the Lady Tamaraws, then they will have a chance to have the twice-to-beat advantage, depending on the results of the games of the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses.
If the Lady Spikers only manage to win one against either the Lady Falcons or the Lady Tamaraws, they will still qualify for the Final Four, regardless of the results of other matches.
If the Lady Spikers lose to both the Lady Falcons and the Lady Tamaraws, they can still qualify for the Final Four if the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons lose either of their games against the University of Santo Tomas or the Adamson Lady Falcons.
If the Lady Spikers lose to both the Lady Falcons and the Lady Tamaraws, and the Fighting Maroons win both games against the Golden Tigresses and the Lady Falcons, La Salle and UP may face each other in a knock-out match for the fourth spot.
Golden Tigresses: One Win to Qualify, Two Wins to Have an Advantage
Like the De La Salle University Lady Spikers, the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses only need a win to qualify for the final four but their road is tougher as their remaining games will be against the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons on Wednesday, April 23, and the defending champions National University Lady Bulldogs on Sunday, April 27.
The Golden Tigresses will face the Fighting Maroons, who are fresh from their upset win against the Lady Spikers. The Diliman-based squad is also hungry to win their remaining games as they are also fighting for their spot in the Final Four.
In the first round, the Golden Tigresses defeated the Fighting Maroons, 25-11, 25-23, 23-25, 25-12.
Against the Lady Bulldogs, the Golden Tigresses ran out of gas in their first matchup in five sets, 25-23, 17-25, 25-19, 18-25, 9-15.
If the Golden Tigresses win against the Fighting Maroons, the España-based squad would qualify for the Final Four and eliminate the Diliman-based squad from contention, effectively giving the Lady Spikers and the Lady Tamaraws secured spots.
If the Golden Tigresses win both matches against the Fighting Maroons and the Lady Bulldogs, they will have a chance to have the twice-to-beat advantage, depending on the results of the games of the Lady Spikers.
If the Golden Tigresses lose both matches against the Fighting Maroons and the Lady Bulldogs, they still have a chance to qualify if UP loses in one of their matches.
Lady Tamaraws: One Win to Qualify
Among the four teams in Final Four contention, only the Lady Tamaraws have one remaining game left – against the De La Salle University Lady Spikers on Saturday, April 26.
In their first-round matchup, the Lady Tamaraws suffered a straight-set defeat, 17-25, 20-25, 22-25.
If the Lady Tamaraws win against the Lady Spikers, they will secure a spot in the final four, regardless of the results of other games.
If the Lady Tamaraws lose against the Lady Spikers, they will still have a chance to qualify for the final four if the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons suffer a defeat against either the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses or the Adamson University Lady Falcons.
Fighting Maroons: Two Wins plus Knockout Match to Qualify
Among the four schools, the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons have the slimmest possibility to qualify for the final four as they need to sweep their remaining games against the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses on Wednesday, April 23, and the Adamson University Lady Falcons on Sunday, April 27.
In the first game matchup of the Fighting Maroons and the Golden Tigresses, the Diliman-based squad suffered an 11-25, 23-25, 25-23, 12-25 defeat.
Against the Adamson University Lady Falcons, the Fighting Maroons barely escaped with a victory, 25-15, 15-25, 24-26, 25-22, 15-10.
If the Fighting Maroons win against both Golden Tigresses and the Lady Falcons, they need to wait for the results of other games. If either the Golden Tigresses lose their two remaining games or the Lady Tamaraws lose their match against the Lady Spikers, the Fighting Maroons can still qualify for the final four if they win a knockout match against either the Golden Tigresses or the Lady Tamaraws.
Overall, one loss against either the Golden Tigresses or the Lady Falcons will eliminate the Fighting Maroons from final four contention. Aside from this, a victory of either the Lady Spikers or the Golden Tigresses in at least one of their opponents would also eliminate the Fighting Maroons.
