THE UST Golden Tigresses yielded to the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles, 25-16, 22-25, 22-25, 23-25, in the UAAP Season 80 women’s volleyball tournament at the Arena in San Juan Sunday.
With Ateneo at match point, Lady Eagle Bea de Leon finished the game with an off-the-block hit to give UST its second loss in three games, 25-23.
“Marami namang tumama, ang problema lang [ay] ‘yong mga turning point na didiin kami, saka kami magko-commit ng error,” UST head coach Kung Fu Reyes Jr. said.
Ateneo broke a 21-all deadlock in the third canto with a 4-1 blitz capped by a kill by Jules Samonte, 25-22.
The Lady Eagles had a slim two-point advantage, 24-22, before Kat Tolentino’s crosscourt kill equalized the game at one set apiece.
UST had a narrow four-point lead in the opening salvo before igniting an 11-6 run capped by Cherry Rondina’s sharp crosscourt, 25-16.
Rondina had a game-high 22 points for UST.
Tolentino, de Leon and Jho Maraguinot led the Lady Eagles with 11 points each.
UST libero Rica Jane Rivera was taken out of the game after a right knee injury in the the first set.
Reyes said results of further evaluations on Rivera is expected tomorrow.
“Based naman sa X-ray, stable naman,” Reyes said. “Tignan natin [kung makalalaro].”
UST fell to seventh place in the standings with a 1-2 win-loss record.
The Tigresses will face the Adamson University Lady Falcons on February 18, Sunday, 4 p.m., at the same venue.
