FAR Eastern University charged into the Final Four after rallying from a set down to boot out College of Saint Benilde, 21-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-17, in the 2024 Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship quarterfinals at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The twice-to-beat Lady Tamaraws found resolve in the next three frames behind the stellar outings from veterans Chenie Tagaod, Alyzza Devosora and Gerzel Petallo following a rusty start to remain unbeaten in seven games heading into the knockout semifinal.

FEU took advantage of the Lady Blazers’ 30 errors to book a second straight semis appearance after a third place finish last year in the centerpiece tournament of the league backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, GCash, Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, R and B Milk Tea and Summit Water.

Devosora and Tagaod scored 15 points each with both main gunners smashing in 14 attacks apiece for the Lady Tamaraws, the runners-up in the 2024 National Invitationals. Petallo added 10 points while Clarisse Loresco had six markers.

Tagaod was instrumental in the third set, smashing timely hits to back Devosora and Loresco as FEU pulled away for good midway in the frame.

The wing spiker hammered the finishing blow to close the one-hour, 53-minute encounter and cap her best scoring performance in the tournament.

“I think makakatulong siya knowing na papasok na kami sa semifinals so kailangan talagang trabahuhin and mas maging consistent pa,” Tagaod said.

FEU braces for a tough match in the semis slated Wednesday where it will take on either three-peat-seeking and National Invitationals championship tormentor National University or University of the Philippines.

“Kailangan naming gawin is magtrabaho pa rin and gawin ‘yung mga sinasabi ng mga coaches. Maging consistent pa and magtiwala lang sa mga kasama,” Tagaod added.

Saint Benilde absorbed its fourth straight defeat and was relegated to the classification round of the competition which has Smart Sports, PLDT Fibr, Mikasa, Asics, Rebel Sports, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and SM Tickets as technical partners.

Meanwhile, De La Salle University hacked out a hard-earned 25-18, 25-20, 20-25, 20-25, 17-15, marathon victory over archrival Ateneo de Manila University to clinch a semifinal ticket.

The Lady Spikers displayed nerves of steel in a nip-and-tuck fifth set, saving two match points before Amie Provido provided the game-clinching kill block following a costly Blue Eagles error to seal the win in the three-hour, two-minute thriller.

Angel Canino fired 17 points with 15 coming from kills, Shevana Laput scored five of her 16 markers in the deciding frame while Provido finished with 13 points anchored on seven spikes, three aces and three kill blocks for unbeaten La Salle, which avoided the use of its twice-to-beat advantage.

Katrina Del Castillo added 11 points highlighted by five kill blocks.

La Salle came back from a 5-7 deficit early in the fifth set and engaged Ateneo in a furious back-and-forth exchange. Winger Lyann De Guzman pushed the Blue Eagles at match point advantage, 14-13, but Sophia Buena overcooked her pressure-packed service for the first deuce.

De Guzman put Ateneo back on top before Jyne Soreno knotted it again at 15.

AC Miner committed an attack error in the next play and Provido shut the door on De Guzman as La Salle escaped with its seventh straight win in the tournament.

“Nu’ng last two sets medyo nawalan kami ng composure kaya pinaalalahanan kami ng mga coaches na gumalaw sa galaw namin and bummalik kami sa sistema,” Provido said.

De Guzman got all her 17 points from spikes while Buena had 12 markers for Ateneo, which was relegated to the classification round.

The classification for fifth to eighth will begin on Friday.

Rhea Densing led the Lady Blazers with 14 points, all from attacks, while Clydel Catarig and Wielyn Estoque chipped in seven each.

SSL games are aired live and on-demand via Puso Pilipinas, SMART Livestream, Solar Sports Channel 70 on Sky Cable and Channel 59 on Cable Link.

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