THE UST Golden Tigresses upset powerhouse National University Lady Bulldogs, 22-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-9, to keep their Final Four hopes alive in the UAAP Season 80 volleyball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday.
UST detonated a 23-7 bomb in the fourth set capped by Caitlin Viray’s block to keep the Lady Bulldogs winless in the second round.
Leading 23-22 in the third set, UST’s Milena Alessandrini and Caitlin Viray tandemed for back-to-back points to take the front seat.
The Tigresses trailed by four, 16-20, before Alina Bicar’s service ace topped a 9-4 UST rally to steal the second frame.
NU unleashed a 6-0 run to erase a once-three-point lead by the Tigresses, 25-22, in the opening salvo.
“The outcome of the game was great. Hopefully, we still have our momentum intact, especially with our form right now,” UST head coach Emilio “Kung Fu” Reyes said.
Rondina paced the Tigresses with 25 points while Alessandrini had 19, including five blocks.
NU’s Jaja Santiago led all scorers with 27 points.
The Lady Bulldogs shot themselves on the foot with 32 unforced errors while UST had 23.
With the win, the Tigresses moved up the standings at solo-sixth place with a 4-7 win-loss record.
The Golden Tigresses will face second-seeded Ateneo de Manila University on April 4, 2 p.m., at the FilOil Flying V Center.
