THE UST Junior Golden Tigresses advanced to the finals after dismantling the De La Salle-Zobel Junior Lady Spikers, 25-21, 24-26, 25-18, 25-16, in the UAAP Season 80 girls’ volleyball semifinals at the Arena in San Juan Friday.
The Tigresses entered the finals for the fifth-straight time and will face the winner of the FEU-NU semifinals.
The Tigresses ignited a 14-5 run to erect a 20-10 lead. A down-the-line hit from Regina Jurado sealed UST’s spot in the finals.
With UST at set point, 24-16, Imee Hernandez went for a crosacourt kill to give UST a 2-1 set advantage.
“Kailangan lang naman nila bumalik, kailangan naming mag-usap then i-enjoy ‘yung laro. Minsan nao-overwhelm sila sa occasion,” UST head coach Emilio “Kung Fu” Reyes Jr. said.
The Tigresses were at set point in the second canto, 24-23, when La Salle swung a three-point blitz capped by Justine Jazareno’s crosscourt kill to salvage its lone set win.
Trailing 11-16 in the opening set, UST uncorked a 14-5 run capped by a La Salle mishit to gain first blood.
Eya Laure pounded a season-high 21 points while Hernandez had 12 markers.
Angel Canino had 11 points for La Salle.
The best-of-three finals will start on Nov. 27, Monday, 4 p.m., at the same venue.
