Feb. 11, 2015, 8:04 p.m. – THE UST Golden Tigresses’
Final Four hopes remain in limbo after suffering a 18-25, 22-25, 22-25 loss
against the undefeated defending champion Ateneo de Manila University Lady
Eagles in the UAAP Season 77 women’s volleyball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena
Wednesday.
With back-to-back defeats, the Golden Tigresses, now with a
5-7 win-loss record, are locked in a tight race against National University,
University of the Philippines, Adamson University and Far Eastern University
for the last two semifinal berths.
The Golden Tigresses had problems penetrating the tough
Ateneo defense which tallied a total of 59 blocks.
UST was also lethargic on offense for the second game in a
row, posting only 25 attack points against the Lady Eagles’ 46.
UST was ahead, 12-9, in the third set. But Ateneo’s Alyssa
Valdez powered a 6-2 run to take the lead, 15-14.
With momentum clearly on their side, the Lady Eagles easily
took off behind a 6-0 blitz led by Michelle Morente who scored an offspeed
attack and an ace, 21-16.
The Tigresses tried to pull off an impossible comeback after
saving three match points courtesy of Meneses’ two drops. But Valdez ended the
game with a powerful hit.
Team captain Pam Lastimosa, EJ Laure and Ria Meneses led the
struggling UST offense with 9 points each. Valdez finished the game with 21
points for the defending champions.
“‘Yung atake namin nade-depensahan kaagad. Tapos
sinisita ko din ‘yung depensa namin since namamatay agad ‘yung second ball,
sayang lang,” said UST head coach Odjie Mamon. “We’re still on
target. We have two games to reach the Final Four and we cannot waste
them.” Delfin Ray M. Dioquino
