Games today:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

9 a.m. — UE vs FEU (m)

11 a.m. — NU vs UP (m)

1 p.m. — UE vs FEU (w)

3 p.m. — NU vs UP (w)

Teams should address consistency and atonement for past mistakes as the Final Four race cranks up the heat with the start of University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament second round.

Three-peat-seeking National University (NU) gets that chance to rebound from an end of first round loss in a payback attempt against skidding University of the Philippines (UP) today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Sitting at solo second with a 5-2 win-loss record, NU seeks to regain its winning ways at 3 p.m. in a short turnaround from a heartbreaking loss to De La Salle University last Sunday in a rematch of last year’s finals.

The Lady Bulldogs’ character will be defined by their response to a 21-25, 19-25, 25-19, 17-25 defeat to the Lady Spikers, which not only snapped their back-to-back win streak but also ended their dominance over La Salle in their previous five meetings.

NU has added motivation in taking on the Fighting Maroons, who gave the Regine Diego-mentored squad its first taste of defeat last 28 February when UP pulled off a reverse sweep.

Rookie Sam Cantada, who is eighth in the statistical race for Most Valuable Player, is eager to get back on court and avenge the Lady Bulldogs after getting sidelined with a shin injury on the third set of NU’s tough 25-16, 25-16, 22-25, 29-31, 16-18 loss to the Fighting Maroons.

Veterans Arah Panique, skipper Vange Alinsug, Chams Maaya and Lams Lamina are also fired up to return the favor to UP, which is in solo sixth place with a 3-4 mark.

The Fighting Maroons were sent crashing back to Earth after floating on cloud nine following their back-to-back head-to-head upset of NU, losing three straight games via sweep to Far Eastern University (FEU), University of Santo Tomas (UST) and Adamson University.

With Casiey Dongallo, who scored 20 points against NU, already out for the season due to a knee injury, UP coach Fabio Menta must find other players to fill her shoes or risk falling further away in the tight race to end a decade-long semifinals drought.

Niña Ytang will try to lift the Fighting Maroons, joining forces with Jelai Gajero, who is working doubly hard to fill the gaps left by fellow California Academy alum Dongallo.

Meanwhile, FEU is also looking to return into the win column in a 1 p.m. faceoff with winless University of the East (UE).

The Lady Tamaraws are coming off a 17-25, 18-25, 20-25, defeat at the hands of UST last Saturday to end the first round.

FEU, however, could miss Gerzel Petallo after suffering a right shoulder injury midway through the third frame of the game against the Golden Tigresses in a collision with teammate Marga Encarnacion while saving the ball.

Head coach Tina Salak is pinning her hopes on Jazz Ellarina, Faida Bakanke, Aly Devosora and Lovely Lopez as well as setter Tin Ubaldo for the Lady Tamaraws to get back on the right track.

In men’s play, unbeaten FEU eyes an eighth straight win and a step closer to a semis spot in the 9 a.m. clash with UE.

The Tamaraws finished the first round with a seven-game sweep for the second straight season while the Red Warriors carry a 1-6 mark at the bottom.

Just like their women’s counterpart, six-peat-seeking NU aims for a bounce back win in a showdown with UP at 11 a.m.

The Bulldogs have slipped to a 5-2 mark after getting hacked by La Salle’s upset ax in five sets last Sunday. They will look to replicate a sweep of the Fighting Maroons in the first round.

UP is tied with Adamson with a 2-5 slate and is reeling from a four-game slump.