Growling Tigresses devour Blue Eagles

University of Santo Tomas (UST) flexed its vaunted firepower in sweeping Ateneo de Manila University, 25-11, 25-20, 25-17, to begin the second round of the 2024 Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on a winning note.

Angge Poyos unleashed 17 points while heady setter Cassie Carballo orchestrated the Growling Tigresses’ balanced scoring to bring down the Blue Eagles in Pool F.

Meanwhile, University of the East (UE) repelled College of Saint Benilde’s late third set fightback to eke out a 25-19, 25-18, 25-23 victory in Pool E.

Casiey Dongallo and Jelai Gajero showed the way for the Lady Warriors at crunch time, pounding in crucial kills to silence the only NCAA team in the playoffs.

UE shattered a 19-19 deadlock in the third set with three straight points to create a separation before Chenae Basarte and Clydel Catarig led the Lady Blazers’ 3-1 counterattack to close in, 23-22.

Dongallo pushed the Lady Warriors at match point. Catarig saved a point before Gajero finished off the reigning National Collegiate Athletic Association champion with a booming kill.

“The set is about to be finished and that’s not the time for us to relax. We reminded each other that we had to put all our effort to get the win,” said Dongallo, who tallied a game-high 16 points off 15 attacks and one kill block.

Gajero and KC Cepada added seven points each for UE, which took advantage of Saint Benilde’s spotty floor defense and 24 errors.