University of Santo Tomas (UST) stayed unbeaten after dominating Mapua University, 25-18, 25-17, 25-20, in Pool B of the 2024 Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The Golden Tigresses needed only 82 minutes to sweep the winless Lady Cardinals for their second win in as many outings.
Kyla Cordora smashed the match-clinching kill to cap nine-point outing as UST kept breathing down the neck of pool leader University of the East (3-0).
“We just enjoyed the game. We played relax right from the first set, played our game and just played on our own pace,” Cordora said.
Xyza Gula chipped in with eight points and Margaret Altea had seven. Jona Perdido and Regina Jurado added six each in the Tigresses’ strong follow-up to a 4-set decision over Lyceum of the Philippines University last Saturday in their debut outing in the tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, GCash, Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, R and B Milk Tea and Summit Water.
Bianca Plaza pushed UST at match point, 24-17, on a quick attack but Mapua refused to go down without a fight as it answered with three straight points before Cordora closed it out.
UST will try to make it three in a row on Friday against University of Perpetual Help System Dalta at 6 p.m. before the much-anticipated showdown against UE on 13 October.
The Lady Cardinals, led by Alyanna Ong’s eight points, remained winless in three starts.
Meanwhile, University of the Philippines rallied from a set down to ground Letran, 17-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-23, Saturday for its first win in Pool C of the competition which has Smart Sports, PLDT Fibr, Mikasa, Asics, Rebel Sports, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Commission on Higher Education, Philippine Sports Commission, SM Tickets as technical partners.
Middle blocker Kassandra Doering hosted a block party accounting for seven of the 16 kill blocks scored by the Fighting Maroons in a mighty rebound from a sorry opening game loss last week at the hands of De La Salle University to tie the Lady Knights with identical 1-1 cards.
Doering punched in 16 points including nine off attacks, Joan Monares added 11 points while Nina Ytang had 10 for UP, which survived despite a shaky reception that allowed the Letran to score 10 aces.
Gia Maquilang paced the Lady Knights with 18 points while Sheena Saring and Judiel Nitura had 14 and 12, respectively, in a losing effort.
Also facing off on Friday are the defending champion National University and Emilio Aguinaldo College at 1 p.m. in Pool A while La Salle battles Letran at 3:30 p.m.