The University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle University carved out contrasting semis wins to set up a title rematch in the UAAP Season 82 Women’s Beach Volleyball Tournament, Saturday at Sands SM By The Bay.
Looking for their fourth straight title, Golden Tigresses Babylove Barbon and Gen Eslapor improved to 8-0 this season following a 21-7, 21-8 victory over Ateneo’s Ponggay Gaston and Roma Mae Doromal.
Tin Tiamzon and Justine Jazareno then edged out Sheena Gallentes and Sheila Mae Kiseo of Far Eastern University, 21-18, 19-21, 15-11, giving the Lady Spikers their second consecutive championship stint.
The Lady Eagles also clinched their first podium finish in four years, rallying from a set down to beat the Lady Tamaraws, 20-22, 21-17, 15-13. This is Ateneo’s best finish since Alyssa Valdez and Bea Tan also ended in third in 2015.
UST and De La Salle open their best-of-three series at 8:40 a.m. Sunday.
The Tigresses — who are 27-0 dating back from 2016 — are gunning for a seventh crown overall, the most in the league.
The Lady Spikers, meanwhile, shoot for their second championship, and the first since the 2015 season behind Kim Fajardo and Cyd Demecillo.
