Lyceum of the Philippines University and Mapua University will look to keep their respective campaigns alive when the NCAA Season 98 women's volleyball tournament stepladder Final Four begins on Sunday.
Third-seed Lyceum and fourth-seed Mapua will clash at 2 p.m. in a knockout match as the league returns to the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan. Preceding the match is the do-or-die battle between Emilio Aguinaldo College and San Beda University in the men's division slated at 12 p.m.
The Lady Pirates and the Lady Cardinals both missed out the Final Four in the previous season and both are eager to stay alive in the stepladder.
Lyceum has the upper hand over Mapua in terms of head-to-head battle this season, winning in a five-set thriller during their first meeting last February 21 with the Lady Pirates eking out a 5-20, 16-25, 21-25, 25-22, 15-5 victory.
Johna Dolorito and Jewel Maligmat showed the way in that victory, but Lyceum has been flashing its depth with the likes of Joan Doguna, Jaja Tulang, and Zonxi Dahab proving their worth as Lyceum closed out the elimination round at third spot with a 6-3 card.
Mapua has also proven it can be a threat to any team. The Lady Cardinals have pulled off victories against both Arellano University and San Sebastian College-Recoletos, both of whom reached the Final Four last year but failed to make the feat this year.
With rookie Roxie Dela Cruz, Tere Manalo, Nicole Ong, and Trixie Gojol steering the ship for the Lady Cardinals, Mapua was able to rack up six wins in nine games to wound up fourth in the team standings.
The winner between Lyceum and Mapua will face second seed University of Perpetual Help System DALTA in another do-or-die for the right to face defending champion De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in the championship round.
Meanwhile, EAC men's team will look to repeat over San Beda when they face off in a knockout match earlier in the day.
The Generals have previously beaten the Red Lions last March 3 with Joshua Ramilo dropping 26 points en route to their 26-24, 25-20, 25-27, 17-25, 15-10 triumph.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
