Games today:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

12 p.m. — NU vs La Salle (m)

2 p.m. — UST vs FEU (m)

4 p.m. — FEU vs NU (w)

Far Eastern University attempts to make history when it meets National University and become the first lowest-seeded squad to make the finals in the Final Four era in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Lady Tamaraws managed to get a shot at making the best-of-three title series when they stunned the Lady Bulldogs in the semis opener over the weekend.

‘The game was too tense, the pressure got transferred to us. I kept reminding my teammates earlier that we are not supposed to be the ones under pressure, because if we beat FEU in this game, they will be eliminated.’

FEU coach Manolo Refugia insists the team that plays harder, more determined will earn the right to face University of Santo Tomas (UST) in the championship.

The Tigresses booked the first slot after beating De La Salle University.

FEU, holder of 29 league titles, last saw action in the finals in 2018 when it lost to the Lady Spikers in two matches.

Its last crown was won in the 2007-2008 season.

Five years ago, FEU, then the No. 4 team, dragged eventual champion Ateneo de Manila University to a Final Four decider where the Katipunan-based spikers pulled the plug on their ambitious foes’ bid.

NU, which wanted so badly to advance to the title round, squandered its first chance.

The Lady Tamaraws turned to their usual reliables Chenie Tagaod and Tin Ubaldo, as well as big games from Mitzi Panangin and libero Anne Monares to upend the Lady Bulldogs, 25-23, 25-17, 25-23.

FEU was able to extend its season despite Gerzel Petallo’s two-point outing and Congo’s Faida Bakanke having trouble in getting her game going after a strong start.

NU standout Bella Belen admits they have to go the extra mile in order to repulse FEU’s challenge in their 4 p.m. faceoff.

But Belen remains positive that the Lady Bulldogs will figure out what the Lady Tamaraws have done right that sent the Final Four to a do-or-die and extend their redemption tour.

“We just need to work harder. We have to remain focused,” she said.

Belen stressed that the mentality of the Lady Bulldogs got messed up the last time.

“The game was too tense, the pressure got transferred to us. I kept reminding my teammates earlier that we are not supposed to be the ones under pressure, because if we beat FEU in this game, they will be eliminated,” Belen said.

“We weren’t able to loosen up, we weren’t able to enjoy the game much, so that’s when the miscommunication and the errors came out.”

The showdown between UST and the survivor of the FEU-NU Final Four encounter will be the first Finals series that will not feature La Salle or Ateneo since 2008, when FEU overcame Adamson University in a thrilling championship that went the distance.

In men’s play, Joash Ybañez and the Golden Spikers gun for back-to-back finals appearances when they battle the Tamaraws in a do-or-die showdown.

FEU swears it has learned its lesson following a 25-23, 25-19, 28-26, loss against the Golden Spikers to try and bounce back in their rubbermatch.

In the first match starting at noon, Michaelo Buddin and the Bulldogs are raring to keep the pursuit of their fourth consecutive title alive as they try to eliminate La Salle.