27 July 2014, 10:09 p.m. – DEFENDING champion UST Junior Golden Tigresses opened their title-retention bid with a pulsating 25-23, 22-25, 25-21, 25-22 victory over De La Salle-Zobel (DLSZ) in the UAAP girls’ volleyball tournament at the Adamson Gym Sunday.
UST shrugged off its opening-game jitters and ignited a 9-1 spurt midway through the fourth frame behind setter Eya Laure, to build a 21-13 lead.
But UST committed costly errors allowing DLSZ to spark a 6-0 run, trimming down the deficit to one point, 22-23.
Team captain Pauline Gaston then buried a quick attack in the ensuing play while rookie Mary Regina Mangulabnan scored an ace to seal the match for the Golden Tigresses, 25-22.
“We had problems in receiving La Salle’s heavy services,” UST coach Christian Fernandez said. “We are very lucky to overcome first game jitters.”
Mildred Dizon scored three straight aces that gave DLSZ a 16-13 lead in the third set, but the Tigresses answered with aces of their own to regain control, 21-19.
UST controlled the first set, establishing a 17-10 advantage with an Alyssa Teope drop.
DLSZ unleashed a 10-4 blitz as Julianne Samonte came alive on offense to keep the Junior Lady Spikers close, 20-22, before UST held on for a 25-23 win.
Laure paced UST with 16 points and Teope added 13. Samonte led DLSZ with 16 markers. K. C. G. Basco
