The UST Golden Tigresses clawed back to the winning column after defeating the DLSU Lady Spikers in a five-set nailbiter, 26-24, 22-25, 25-27, 25-23, 15-12, at the Mall of Asia Arena on Thursday.
Team captain Eya Laure had another career-high 28 points, including a game-sealing block kill in the do-or-die period.
The Lady Archers were up, 12-9, in the fifth set when the Tigresses unloaded a 6-0 run to seal the victory, 15-12. Laure scored four of UST’s last six points.
After winning the first period, the Tigresses dropped two straight sets to go down two sets to one.
With the score tied 20-all in the fourth, UST launched a 5-3 run to tie the game at two sets apiece and force a do-or-die.
Lady Archer Jolina Dela Cruz scored back-to-back kills in a deuce situation to secure the third set for DLSU, 27-25.
UST was trailing La Salle, 23-20, in the second set when the Tigresses scored two quick points off a KC Galdones through-the-block kill and a DLSU violation. But DLSU’s Thea Gagate scored two straight points to tie the match at 1-1, 25-22.
With DLSU up 24-23 in the opening frame, Galdones scored a dink to raise the set point at 26. Ysa Jimenez then scored back-to-back kills to give UST the first set, 26-24.
Jimenez contributed 13 points for the Tigresses’ win.
Alleiah Malalunan led the Lady Spikers in scoring with 26 while Gagate and Jolina de la Cruz tallied 12 points apiece.
The UST Golden Tigresses will next face the National University Lady Bulldogs on Saturday, 12 p.m., at the same venue. Mark Ernest V. Villeza
