TEAM captains Mary Remy Palma and Greg Dolor are expected to go all out as Far Eastern University (FEU) battles teams with twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four of the Season 79 University Athletic Association of the Philippines volleyball tournament today at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Palma and the Lady Tamaraws face the top-seeded Ateneo Lady Eagles at 4 p.m. hoping to extend their semifinals duel to a do-or-die match.
Dolor and the Tamaraws, on the other hand, troop to the Pasay City Arena earlier in the day at 10 a.m. to take on men’s topnotcher National University Bulldogs.
Palma and Dolor are playing the last season of their collegiate skills and vowed to go all out to keep their teams’ heads above water.
“I don’t want to end my college career and our Final Four stint in just one game,” Palma said. “I am not contented with just a Final Four appearance. I will give everything that I could. I don’t want to think that I only have one game left in me. I want more.”
Dolor echoed Palma’s declaration.
“The job is not yet done. This is my last playing year and I want to have a good and memorable exit in FEU,” said Dolor, who is graduating this season with setter Ronchette Villegas and Redijohn Paler.
The Tamaraws booted out the University of Santo Tomas Tigers, 25-22, 27-25, 25-18, in the first phase of the stepladder semifinals last Wednesday. Dolor rose to the occasion and posted 13 points on 10 attacks and three service aces be highlighted with a game-winning ace in that victory.
The Ateneo Blue Eagles are the finalist-in-waiting. They swept the eliminations and are seeking their fourth straight crown in the best-of-three series.
Palma is a Lady Tamaraw on a mission against the Lady Eagles, who are playing in the Final Four without superstar Alyssa Valdez for the first time in five years.
The Lady Tamaraws almost made the championship last season when they extended their semifinal duel with eventual champion De La Salle to a knockout match. They made the finals eight seasons ago.
The Lady Eagles, led by captain Jia Morado, are aware that the Lady Tamaraws could pull off a surprise. They were extended to five sets in both of their eliminations matches.
“We’re not going to deny that FEU is a really strong team,” Morado said. “So we’ll just do our part in preparing for them.”
Image credits: Nonoy Lacza