The De La Salle Lady Spikers during the 2024 Shakey's Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship. Handout/SSLMANILA -- Unbeaten teams De La Salle University and Far Eastern University will try to punch their tickets to the semifinals of the 2024 Shakey's Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The Lady Spikers and the Lady Tamaraws are armed with a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals after topping their respective pools in the second round.
FEU opens the day's quadruple-header against College of St. Benilde at 11:00 a.m., followed by a UAAP rivalry match between La Salle and Ateneo de Manila University at 1:00 p.m.
Meanwhile, defending champion National University takes on the University of the Philippines at 4:00 p.m., and University of Santo Tomas caps off the slate of games at 6:00 p.m. against the University of the East.
READ: FEU outlasts UP, earns quarterfinals incentive
READ: La Salle ends National U's winning streak in Super League
The Lady Bulldogs and Golden Tigresses are also equipped with win-once incentives after finishing as second seeds in the round-robin phase of the playoffs.
La Salle and FEU are the only remaining unbeaten teams, having won their first six assignments
Tagged as favorites over the skidding Blue Eagles, another win by the Lady Spikers will draw them closer to a return trip to the finals after a runner-up finish in the inaugural edition two years ago.
"Kailangan lang maging consistent sa loob kasi 'yung sistema nandoon naman na eh. Dapat maging maayos din 'yung communication," La Salle coach Noel Orcullo said.
The Lady Tamaraws are also fancied to get past the Lady Blazers, who are winless in three games in the second round.
On the other hand, three-peat-seeking NU is not taking the Fighting Maroons lightly.
"Alam namin na bawat game mahalaga lalo na’t makakalaban namin sila sa UAAP. Mataas ang respeto namin sa kanila kaya talagang pinaghahandaan namin sila," Lady Bulldogs deputy mentor Karl Dimaculangan said.
UST is looking to score a repeat over the same squad it defeated via reverse sweep in the first round.
The lower seeds are looking to force a do-or-die match that will be scheduled for Monday.
Quarters winners will advance into the knockout semis for seats in the best-of-three finals while eliminated teams will be relegated in the classification round. The battle for bronze is a one-game affair.