THE UST Tiger Sands succumbed to the FEU Tamaraws in three sets, 21-18, 19-21, 16-18, suffering their first loss after winning 38 straight games in the women’s beach volleyball tournament opener at the SM Sands by the Bay Friday.
UST last lost in 2016, during Game 2 of the Season 79 women’s volleyball finals.
It was a neck-and-neck battle in the third frame, which saw 12 deadlocks. Trailing by three, 10-7, UST caught up with FEU with three straight points capped by a Sofiah Pagara off-speed.
A costly Melody Pons attack error put FEU in a tight spot giving the Tiger Sands the match-point advantage, 14-13. However, Pagara committed a service error that forced a deuce, 14-all.
Back-to-back points by Pons secured the win for the Tamaraws, 18-16.
“Sa women’s, mas tatatagan pa namin ‘yong mental toughness ng mga bata kasi ‘yong skills, nando’n naman na e,” UST head coach Paul Jan Doloiras told the Varsitarian. “Sa men’s naman, pagpapatuloy lang namin ‘yong ginagawa kasi wala pa namang nagiging problema.”
In the men’s division, the defending champions scored back-to-back wins after dominating the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 21-11, 21-19, and the UP Fighting Maroons, 21-9, 21-12.
The Tiger Sands will next face FEU in the men’s tournament and DLSU in the women’s tournament tomorrow, Nov. 18, at the same venue.
