MANILA -- Final 4 debutants Lyceum of the Philippines University and Mapua clash in a do-or-die match in the NCAA Season 98 women's volleyball tournament, Sunday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The winner of the 2:00 p.m. duel will advance in the step-ladder and play Perpetual Help on Wednesday. Whoever wins that match will move on to play College of St. Benilde in a best-of-3 title series.
The Lady Blazers earned an outright Finals berth after completing a nine-match sweep of the elimination round, while the Lady Altas drew a bye in the step-ladder by virtue of their second place finish. Perpetual had an 8-1 record in the elims.
Lyceum is in the Final 4 for the first time since it joined the league in 2011, while Mapua bagged a breakthrough semis berth after reviving its women's volleyball program in 2009.
The Lady Cardinals and the Lady Pirates engaged in a five-set affair in their lone elimination round encounter, with Lyceum needing a dominant fifth set to turn back Mapua, 25-20, 16-25, 21-25, 25-22, 15-5, last February 21.
Meanwhile, in the men's division, Emilio Aguinaldo College and San Beda clash in the first step-ladder at 12 noon.
The Generals and the Red Spikers hold identical 6-3 slates.
Perpetual Help, seeking a men's three-peat, is already in the Finals after a 9-0 elimination round sweep.
Arellano University, which ended up second with a 8-1 record, awaits the winner of the EAC-San Beda match in another do-or-die playoff on Wednesday for the last spot in the best-of-three championship.