MANILA---If what transpired in the final game of eliminations was any indication, the much awaited finals clash between perennial rivals UST and La Salle is threatening to keep everyone on its toes.

It was the five-setter match last February 13 which left everyone breathless until the match point by La Salle that killed UST and ended the pent up tension---a stark contrast from their first meeting where the Lady Spikers managed to pull the plug on the Tigresses without even breaking a sweat.

"We somehow had an idea (how to finally beat La Salle),” said UST mentor Shaq De Los Santos.

But even if the Tigresses managed to take the Lady Spikers out of their comfort zone, the truth remains that La Salle has their number this coming finals, which kicks off at 3 p.m. today at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

"It's obvious that La Salle has the advantage with its personnel,” added Delos Santos, whose squad will once again lean--as it had countless times--on the worn-out yet equally cunning skipper and reigning most valuable player Aiza Maizo.

Maizo, still this season's front-runner for MVP, has been hobbled by a nagging lower back injury for most of the second round, and with Maica Ortiz and Maru Banaticla also hampered with health concerns, UST's options have been limited.

La Salle head coach Ramil De Jesus also sees the gaping hole in the Tigresses' roster that could be well used to his squad's advantage.

“I see that they really don't have a deep bench. Our advantage is we still have reliable players outside our starters, De Jesus said.

The Lady Archers, who went through the elimination round in a breeze, will parade their crisp-hitting troika of Stephanie Mercado, Abigail Marano and Jacqueline Alarca while also having skipper Cha Cruz providing much-needed experience and additional firepower.

But even so, a 2-0 elims record against the Tigresses and a superior line up will not be sufficient to stir the title back to their wide open arms.

"They (the players) have to know what their goal is. They have to know why they're here,” he said. “Last year, we went to the finals and it was like we didn't know what we were doing there.”

De Jesus and the Lady Spikers will try to avoid an encore of their finals meltdown where their supposed to be loaded artillery fired blanks instead, as they got swept by the same Tigresses.

De Jesus believes that conditioning will be the biggest factor in this finals series and back-to-back five set matches might have just given the Lady Spikers a preview of the impending wear and tear they never experienced in the last 13 games.

"The outcome of the game will depend on the conditioning of the teams,” De Jesus said. “It's going to be a test of endurance.”

The Tigresses, meanwhile, hope that experience will carry their weary squad that has been through a fair share of ups and downs in defense of their title.

"We need to focus. We have an advantage in experience and I hope we use it well,” concerned Delos Santos.

“We can't have excuses anymore,” Delos Santos finished.

In the men's finals, game one between UST and FEU is pegged at 1 pm.

Celest Flores, Phil. Daily Inquirer