Jurado tows Tigresses past Saint Benilde

Games today:

(Rizal Memorial Coliseum)

1 p.m. — EAC vs San Sebastian

3 p.m. — Letran vs Arellano

5 p.m. — UE vs Lyceum

Veteran hitter Regina Jurado showed the way as University of Santo Tomas (UST) got off to a terrific start with a 25-21, 25-12, 25-18, win over College of Saint Benilde in the 2026 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Unity Cup on Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Jurado scored 12 of her game-high 13 points on attacks as the Golden Tigresses asserted their mastery over the Lady Blazers in a rematch of their SSL National Invitationals championship showdown.

“I am very thankful (for the win) and it gave us a lot of confidence since this is our first,” said Jurado, who only played in two sets.

UST joined Mapua University in sharing the top spot in Pool B of the league’s centerpiece competition.

Marga Altea and Erica Guttierez added seven points each while Avril Bron finished with five points for the Tigresses, whose one-hour, 20-minute triumph was aided by the Lady Blazers’ 25 errors.

UST head coach Shaq delos Santos also tested his setter rotation and yielded good results. Aneeza Santos and Arlene Waje tallied eight excellent sets each while veteran playmaker Cassie Carballo dished out six.

UST encountered resistance late in the first set after Saint Benilde cut a five-point deficit down to two, 23-21.

The Tigresses responded with two straight points capped by a kill by Jurado.

UST’s second stringers held the fort in the second frame, dominating their Lady Blazers counterparts.

The Tigresses cruised the rest of the way to begin their mission to settle unfinished business after a runner-up finish in the previous edition of the spikefest.

Camila Bartolome was the lone bright spot for Saint Benilde, unloading 11 points on nine kills and two aces. Mary Grace Borromeo had six points for the Lady Blazers.

Action continues on Sunday with Emilio Aguinaldo College taking on San Sebastian College at 1 p.m.

Arellano University, which beat University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, 23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-23, on Friday, battles Letran at 3 p.m. followed by the 5 p.m. clash between debuting University of the East and Lyceum of the Philippines University.