All signs seem to point to a banner year for the University of Santo Tomas (UST) women’s volleyball squad.

After securing the coveted twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four on Saturday, key members of the team expressed the belief that Season 86 could finally be theirs.

“Yes, I can say that this is the best chance to bring back the crown,” Golden Tigresses libero and team captain Detdet Pepito said after UST growled its way to a 22-25, 25-23, 25-16, 25-15 victory over De La Salle University before a jampacked Smart Araneta Coliseum crowd.

To complement their semis bonus, the current Lady Tigresses “is different,” according to Pepito.

“The composition is different, (the players) are young. If we look at it, the team looks less experienced but we can see here the things we work hard for in training.”

Pepito delivered 17 excellent digs and six receptions to limit top La Salle spiker Angel Canino, who returned to action for the Lady Spikers after being sidelined for sustaining a cut in her right arm, to just 13 points from 13 attacks.

Meanwhile, high-flying super rookie Angge Poyos had the yellow-clad spectators chanting “MVP” after exploding with 22 points from 18 attacks and three blocks.

“The expectation to get the (Most Valuable Player) award, it’s just a bonus, if I ever get it. What’s important for us is to get the championship, and that’s our only goal this season,” Poyos said, dismissing talks that she is more focused on winning the individual award instead of the title.

But it was Jonna Perdido who surprised the Lady Spikers after stepping up with 19 points from 18 attacks which pierced Shevana Laput and Thea Gagate’s towering defense.

With Canino’s firepower kind of dulled, Thea Gagate’s seven points, and Amie Provido’s six-point performance, La Salle focused its offense on Laput instead.

Laput uncorked 26 points from 23 attacks and two aces, but fell short as the Golden Tigers exploited their foes’ errors.

“This is good, entering the top four because we got this very big win tonight. We got what we aimed for, which is, not only to be included within the top four, but also to have a twice-to-beat advantage,” UST head coach Kungfu Reyes said.

“It hasn’t been easy, with the journey of these kids, especially facing the defending champions.”

Meanwhile, the Golden Tigresses’ eyes are focused on the next game after capturing the crucial win.

“We can’t celebrate too much yet. This is another challenge that we have to embrace,” Pepito said.

The Golden Tigresses and the Lady Spikers are expected to go all out against each other as both teams will meet once more at 4 p.m. on Tuesday at the Mall of Asia Arena to begin their Final Four campaign.