Playing eight total sets in winning its last two games, a different test awaits Far Eastern University (FEU) on Saturday when the Lady Tamaraws battle an Adamson side that is brandishing one of the fiercest weapons in Season 87 of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament.

And obviously for coach Tina Salak, they would want to come out triumphant in the 3 p.m. contest at Mall of Asia Arena and complete a character-building three-game test that spanned just over a week.

Article continues after this advertisement

“We want to improve continuously,” Salak said in Filipino after a straight-sets win over winless University of the East (UE) on Wednesday. “We shouldn’t be falling short, we should improve, especially in handling small balls when facing other teams.”

While FEU has one of the more complete teams here, Adamson is being led by rookie Shai Nitura, a product of its high school program who is currently the tournament’s second-best scorer.

The first of those last two Far Eastern wins came at the expense of Ateneo, which battled the Lady Tams through five sets.

Article continues after this advertisement

Nitura will be a handful, even for a tested defensive team like Far Eastern as the goggles-wearing talent has shown her ability to break down defenses in just her first four games in the college scene.

Nitura now owns the rookie scoring record of 32, eclipsing by a point the mark that University of Santo Tomas’ Angge Poyos chalked up last season.

Meanwhile, struggling powerhouse La Salle also takes the court at 1 p.m. heavily favored to avoid its first losing streak of the season in battling the Lady Red Warriors and climb above .500.

The Lady Spikers are at 2-2 and have all the tools to overwhelm the Warriors.

La Salle is off to one of its worst starts in years even with a front line that has Angel Canino and Shevana Laput, as coach Ramil de Jesus continues to look for the combinations that will give the Lady Spikers that fearsome look once more.

And the first order of business for the La Salle brain trust is respecting which ever team is on the opposite end of the floor.

“We’re not going to take them lightly as opponents, even though UE has lost many players,” La Salle assistant coach Noel Orcullo said. “That’s what we always tell the kids—despite the departures, you can see that they’re still fighting.

“We can’t underestimate UE because they give their all in every game. So as much as possible, we need to prepare, scout them properly and study what needs to be scouted.”