Tigresses whip Lady Altas in SSL opener

University of Santo Tomas thwarted University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, 25-12, 21-25, 25-15, 25-21, to kick off the 2023 Shakey's Super League Collegiate Pre-Season Championship Season 2 on a high note Saturday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

A roaring 12-2 start set the tone for the Golden Tigresses before recovering from a second-set mishap by owning the next two frames for an early 1-0 lead in Pool C of the 16-team tilt.

Super rookie Angeline Poyos, the Best Outside Hitter in the SSL National Invitationals where the Golden Tigresses finished third, picked up where she left off by hammering out 20 points on 16 hits to show the way for UST.

Kyla Cordora and Regina Jurado chipped in 13 and 11 points, respectively, for the Golden Tigresses.

"We still have a lot to work on especially in the second unit," UST coach Kungfu Reyes, whose wards suddenly cooled down in the second frame after winning the opener by 13 big points, said.

"Actually, we didn't have any changes in our second unit. We just need to improve. But it's still a good game. A win is a win. We must play better in our game on Monday."

Meanwhile, Arellano University crushed San Beda University, 25-15, 25-21, 25-15, in Pool B.

As UST went berserk in the first set, Perpetual returned the favor in the second set with its own hot start at 8-3 to equalize the match at 1-1 behind the efforts of NCAA MVP Mary Rhose Dapol and Winnie Bedaña.

But with Jurado and Cordora as well as Jonna Perdido with nine points joining the barrage, UST rediscovered its groove by once again dominating the third set with a 10-point win before holding on just enough in the clincher from nearly wasting what seemed a comfortable 23-16 lead.

A Shaila Omipon drop capped Perpetual's 5-1 spurt in the tail end of the fourth to strike within 21-24 only for Perdido with a crosscourt attack to finish it off as UST continued its dominance on the spikers from Las Piñas after a 2-0 sweep in the bronze-medal match of the inaugural National Invitationals last summer.

Dapol and Bedaña bannered the Lady Altas with 11 and 10 points, respectively.