Roaring Tigresses: UST flaunts might, clobbers listless Ateneo

Games on Saturday:

(UST Quadricentennial Pavilion)

9 a.m. — UST vs UE (m)

11 a.m. — UST vs UE (w)

3 p.m. — NU vs UP (m)

5 p.m. — NU vs UP (w)

University of Santo Tomas (UST)vented its ire on listless Ateneo de Manila University in an emphatic, 26-24, 25-18, 25-21, sweep to notch its first win in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Frustrated by back-to-back losses to start their campaign, veterans Angge Poyos and Regina Jurado took matters into their own hands to deliver the Golden Tigresses’ victory despite some tense moments early in each of the sets.

Meanwhile, De La Salle University hardly felt the absence of main scorer Shevana Laput in a quick work of University of the Philippines (UP), 25-12, 25-15, 25-19, for its third win in a row and a share of the lead.

Alas Pilipinas stars Amie Provido and Angel Canino, Shane Reterta and freshman Mikee Santos carried the scoring load after Laput skipped the match after feeling under the weather.

Canino pounded 12 points, Provido and Reterta added 11 while Santos, who took over Laput’s starting spot, added 10 markers for the Season 87 runner-up, which joined three-peat-seeking National University on top of the standings with their pristine 3-0 slates. Laput averaged 22 points in the Lady Spikers’ first two games.

La Salle was in control right from the opening serve as it built a commanding 12-1 advantage in the first set. It was more of the same in the next two as the Lady Spikers primed up for their rivalry match against winless Ateneo de Manila University on Sunday.

The Fighting Maroons barely showed any fight as they slipped to a 2-1 card tied with Adamson.

Jelai Gajero, Cassie Dongallo, Irah Jaboneta and Nina Ytang paced UP with just four points each.

Poyos scored 21 points on 19 kills, one block and one ace while Jurado added 12 markers for UST. Cassie Carballo tallied 14 excellent sets that the Tigresses converted to 49 attacks.

UST used an 8-0 run to shatter an 8-8 tie in the tight third set before cruising into their first under returning head coach Shaq delos Santos.

“Thank God, we finally got our first win. Hopefully, this first win will serve as inspiration for us. This is a big boost for us especially coming off two straight losses. I’m sure we’ll play better in our next games,” said Delos Santos, who steered the Tigresses to their last UAAP crown back in 2010.

UST had a hard time shaking off the Blue Eagles in the extended opening frame and fought back from a 1-7 deficit in the second frame as the Tigresses answered with an 18-6 run to take the frame and a 2-0 match lead.