BY ABBY TORALBA
RED-HOT University of Santo Tomas blasted University of the Philippines 25-22, 25-20, 26-24 yesterday to close in on a first-round sweep in the 86th UAAP women’s volleyball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The Golden Tigresses survived a close encounter with the Fighting Maroons in the third set to complete the sweep and hike their standing to a league-best 6-0 record — their finest start since the 73rd volleyball wars in 2011.
“Again, ‘yung respeto na binibigay namin sa mga kalaban namin na alam namin kasi everybody’s game,” said Golden Tigresses head coach Kungfu Reyes. “Very tight ‘yung labanan especially nung last set kasi nga we won by two points so medyo hindi pa namin makuha ‘yung rhythm, kung anong meron kami.”
UST aims to complete a first-round sweep–which it last achieved in the 2006-07 season–against Adamson University on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
During that season, the Tigresses went perfect in six first round matches under legendary coach August Santamaria.
With UP threatening to extend the match, Angge Poyos delivered a down-the-line hit to break a 23-all deadlock in the third set and push UST to match point. Stephanie Bustrillo, however, answered back with a cross-court hit to extend the set.
Poyos then took over anew, delivering a kill before Regina Jurado completed the hard-fought win with an off-the-block attack.
The 20-year-old rookie out of Balilihan, Bohol posted a game-high 22 points on 18 attacks and four aces to lead UST’s one-hour and 38-minute victory.
