THE UST Junior Golden Tigresses lost their title after succumbing to a determined National University side, 21-25, 26-28, 28-26, 12-25, in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 77 girls’ volleyball tournament at the Adamson Gym last Oct. 2.
The Lady Bullpups clinched their first UAAP girls’ volleyball title.
Down two sets to none, the Golden Tigresses uncorked a quick 5-0 run to gain the lead late in the third set, 20-18.
Czarina Cudias then sealed a tight frame with a service ace to keep UST’s title hopes alive, 28-26.
But the Tigresses couldn’t stop a rampaging NU side as the Lady Bullpups cracked the fourth set with a commanding 11-point lead, 8-19, after Caitlyn Viray unleashed five aces.
Eya Laure tried to carry UST but Faith Nisperos clinched the title for NU with a powerful attack, 12-25.
“Naging poor ‘yung floor defense. Kahit ang ganda ng mga atake namin, hindi rin namin na-utilize,” UST head coach Emilio Reyes said. “But my players did their best.”
UST lost a chance to equalize in the second frame after a controversial illegal attack was called on Laure, giving the set to the Lady Bullpups, 26-28.
In Game 1 last Sept. 28, the Tigresses absorbed a tough 17-25, 20-25, 25-20, 21-25 defeat.
UST opened the fourth frame with a 3-0 lead capped by a block from team captain Pauline Gaston. But NU answered with five straight points, three coming from UST’s errors, 5-3.
The Tigresses committed another service error to hand NU the match point, 24-20 before Rica Diolan finished off UST with a powerful attack, 25-21.
Despite missing out on back-to-back titles, graduating senior Pauline Gaston received the Best Blocker award while Laure was named Best Attacker.
Far Eastern University’s Rachel Anne Fabro is the Rookie of the Year while NU’s Nisperos was crowned Most Valuable Player. A. P. Abello
