2026-07-072026-07-07http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/203118We consider possible resolutions of singularities in a contracting anisotropic universe for a class of higher derivative gravity theories. We give evidence that for our models the big crunch singularity may be replaced by a nearly flat Minkowski-like phase before the Universe reenters an anisotropic expansion in a time-symmetric manner.7 pages, 4 EPS figures; typos corrected, references added; to be published in Phys. Rev. DHigh Energy Physics - TheoryGeneral Relativity and Quantum Cosmologytext