Standings W L

*DLSU 13 1
*NU 11 3
*AdU 10 4
*UST 10 4
FEU 6 8
Ateneo 4 10
UP 1 13
UE 1 13
*Final Four

Games Wednesday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
11 a.m. – DLSU vs FEU (Men Step-ladder)
1 p.m. – DLSU vs UST (Women Final Four)
3 p.m. – NU vs AdU (Women Final Four)

GETTING solid performances from Kate Santiago and rookie Trisha Tubu, Adamson chalked up what could be its best elimination round record in 15 years as it got the better end off Far Eastern U, 25-22, 26-28, 25-15, 25-17 Sunday at the close of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament eliminations at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

That win over Lady Tamaraws proved to be a much-needed confidence booster as the Lady Falcons head up into the Final Four round starting Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Center.

Santiago unleashed 21 points while Tubu, a rookie, had three blocks to finish with 18 points even as setter Louie Romero tossed in 21 excellent sets and fired two service aces for Adamson, which ended the eliminations with a 10-4 win-loss card.

It was actually a first for Adamson to reach a 10-win plateau since the 2007-08 season when it finished at 12-2 and made it all the way to the Finals.

The third-ranking Lady Falcons will play twice-to-beat No. 2 National University (11-3) in the Final Four.

“Opportunity ito for greatness. Yung mga kalaban namin nakakakuha naman tayo ng set or two so ibig sabihin puwede, ibig sabihin may chance,” Adamson rookie coach Jerry Yee said.

“Anytime na may chance na pwedeng ilaban, laro lang, laban lang,” added Yee of his wards who are bracing for their first Final Four appearance in nine years.

Armed with a win-once incentive, topnotcher La Salle faces No. 4 University of Santo Tomas.

The Lady Spikers and the Lady Bulldogs need to win but once against their respective foes to arrange a rematch of last season’s title series.

Led by Eya Laure, who came away with 28 points, including two blocks and 14 digs, UST also finished with a 10-4 record following a 25-21, 25-20, 22-25, 19-25, 15-6 victory over the University of the Philippines.

On the other hand, Lorene Toring finished with three blocks for a 13-point outing while Lucille Almonte produced an all-around outing of 10 points, 22 receptions, and 16 digs for Adamson.

The Lady Falcons, who suffered a heartbreaking end to last year’s campaign after losing to a playoff for the No. 4 slot, hope to go deeper this year with Yee at the helm.

In her last game for the Lady Tamaraws, Jov Fernandez had three service aces and two blocks to finish with 18 points, while Jean Asis added 13 points, including five blocks.

Alyzza Devasora had 11 points and 10 receptions, fellow rookie Gerzel Petallo also scored 11 points while playmaker Tin Ubaldo had a team-best four blocks, 15 digs, and 11 receptions.

The Lady Tamaraws ended their first season under coach Tina Salak with a 6-8 record, a major turnaround from last season’s one-year campaign.

In the men’s division, FEU completed the Final Four cast following a 25-22, 25-14, 26-24 victory over also-ran Adamson.

Regina Jurado was solid in the service zone, producing two of three aces in the deciding set that allowed the Tigresses to pull away to finish with 15 points while Imee Hernandez and Renee Peñafiel added 14 and 11 points, respectively.

The Fighting Maroons, who drew 17 points from Niña Ytang, finished coach Shaq delos Santos’ first season with a 1-13 record in seventh place.

Mark Calado was in the zone with 23-of-31 spikes and had two blocks to finish with 25 points to go with nine receptions and eight digs for the Tamaraws, who won back-to-back matches to finish the season at 8-6.

FEU will face La Salle, which ended a 10-year Final Four drought after clipping the University of the East, 25-16, 23-25, 25-13, 25-22, Saturday night in the first step-ladder on Wednesday at the Big Dome.

The winner will take on No. 2 University of Santo Tomas in another do-or-die match to determine the other finalist.

Three-peat-seeking National University jumped straight to the best-of-three Finals after completing a 14-match sweep of the eliminations.

The Tamaraws and the Green Spikers last faced in the Final Four in 2013, the year that the Taft-based squad last made it past the elims.

“Babaunin namin yung lessons na nakuha namin, ang dami namin from down tiniyaga namin pataas. Siguro yun ang una naming gagawin kung paano kami nakabalik, babaunin namin yung eagerness sa laban sa La Salle,” said FEU coach Rei Diaz.

The Falcons ended their first season under coach George Pascua with a 2-12 record.