Adamson University made the right plays down the stretch to outlast University of Santo Tomas, 27-25, 25-20, 26-24, and take a share of third place in the tight UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Women’s Volleyball Tournament Final Four race on Saturday evening at the FilOil Centre in San Juan.
Similar to their first-round upset of the Golden Tigresses last March 7, the Lady Falcons once again leaned on the offensive firepower of Shaina Nitura and Nigerian wing spiker Frances Mordi to strengthen their postseason bid with two games left in the elimination round.
The crucial victory pushed Adamson into a tie for third place with UST, as both squads now hold identical 7-5 win-loss records, ahead of fellow Final Four contenders Far Eastern University (6-5) and the University of the Philippines (5-6). The Lady Falcons also hold the tiebreaker over the Golden Tigresses after sweeping their head-to-head meetings in the preliminaries.
Adamson, which is seeking its first Final Four appearance since 2023, has already surpassed its six-win output from last season.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“We thank the Lord for the win and sa pagbibigay ng courage and everything sa mga bata this game. We expected talaga a very tough game because we know na UST ay lalaban, and, noong first round, natalo namin sila straight sets. I always reminded them, especially nung third set, na we keep on going and we don’t give up because everything possible will happen. Nothing’s impossible if we keep on going talaga,” head coach JP Yude said.
“Nakita ko sa mga bata how they responded during that moment kasi I know yung mga bata pag ganoong situation, especially sa team namin, bumababa agad yung kumpiyansa. Pero, the thing is kanina, we overcame it. We thank the Lord talaga na sa game na ito, very challenging game, but we responded sa game properly,” he added.
The Golden Tigresses looked on track to force a fourth set after building an 18-14 third-set advantage, but the Lady Falcons methodically clawed back, unleashing a 6-2 run — capped by a Fhei Sagaysay block on Angge Poyos and a Poyos attack error — to tie the set at 20-all.
From there, UST and Adamson exchanged blows until a Julia Balingit off-the-block attack tied the frame again at 24-all. However, the Lady Falcons had the final say, as Nitura drilled a crosscourt hit, while Eloi Dote delivered the game-winning block after rejecting Poyos’ crosscourt attack.
In the second set, UST tied the frame at 20-all behind a Poyos attack and an Avril Bron block, but Adamson showed poise in the clutch, finishing the set with five straight points — capped by a Mordi ace and a Nitura through-the-block hit — to take a crucial 2-0 sets lead.
“Thank you, Lord, din talaga kasi God’s will din na mag-sabay-sabay kaming maglaro. Very thankful lang ako kasi yung teammates ko, talagang team effort yung nangyari kanina at talagang ginustong manalo. Kapag may bumaba, tinutulungan i-lift up para hindi sila dumire-diretso,” Nitura said, who powered the Lady Falcons with an all-around performance of 19 points, 14 excellent receptions, and 10 excellent digs in the one hour and 40-minute affair.
Mordi followed closely with 18 points, 11 excellent receptions, and five excellent digs, while Lhouiz Tuddao added eight points on six attacks and two blocks.
Sagaysay orchestrated the offense with 21 excellent sets, adding seven points built on three attacks, two blocks, and two aces.
Adamson looks to further strengthen its Final Four bid when it faces UP on Wednesday, April 15, before wrapping up its elimination-round campaign against FEU on April 18, both at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Meanwhile, UST — which played without head coach Shaq delos Santos due to Cignal’s semifinal clash against Farm Fresh in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference — seeks to revive its Final Four hopes in a second-round encounter against UP on Sunday, April 19, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Poyos led the Golden Tigresses in the losing effort with 15 points, 12 excellent receptions, and five excellent digs, while Reg Jurado added nine points and 11 excellent digs.
Bron finished with eight points on seven attacks and one block, while Jonna Perdido chipped in seven points on four attacks and three blocks, alongside seven excellent digs and six excellent receptions.
Cassie Carballo dished out 22 excellent sets, while team captain Detdet Pepito tallied 16 excellent digs and seven excellent receptions.
