THE UST Tiger Sands buried the UP Fighting Maroons, 21-12, 21-10, to secure their finals ticket in the UAAP Season 86 women’s beach volleyball tournament at the SM Sands by the Bay on Tuesday.
After back-to-back Ira Jaboneta points that sent the game to a 5-all deadlock early in the first frame, the Tiger Sands blasted away with a 16-7 blitz to draw first blood.
UST kept its momentum and opened the second set sizzling hot, 11-3.
Sofia Pagarah converted 11 points in the second frame, including a finals-berth-clinching crosscourt kill, 21-10.
UST head coach Paul Doloiras lauded the Tiger Sands’ team captain, Gen Eslapor, for allowing Pagara to lead their offensive plays.
“Si Gen, ang galing magdala sobra sa kasama niya,” Doloiras told the Varsitarian. “Kahit bata pa si Sofia, napapagalaw niya nang maayos.”
“So far, ito ‘yung pinakamaganda nilang galaw, ‘yung pinakapulido at pinakamaayos. May lapses pero napaka-minimal.”
The Tiger Sands will arrange a knockout finals rematch against the NU Lady Bulldogs at 4:15 p.m. at the same venue.
