THE UST Golden Tigresses crashed out of the Shakey’s Super League National Invitationals quarterfinals after falling short against the FEU Lady Tamaraws, 13-25, 25-18, 25-16, 18-25, 10-15, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Saturday, July 13.
Incoming freshman Margaret Altea paced the Tigresses with 20 points built on 14 attacks, four blocks, and two aces. Returning Kyla Cordora and new UST middle blocker Francine Osis added 14 and 10 points, respectively.
In 2023, UST bagged the SSL bronze medal with a lineup that included Angeline Poyos, Bernadett Pepito, and Cassie Carballo, who later formed the core of its UAAP Season 86 first runner-up team.
“[Bright] future. Nakakatuwa ang mga bata. ‘Yon lang,” UST head coach Emilio “Kung Fu” Reyes said postgame.
After UST took the second and third sets, the pesky Tamaraws came alive late in the fourth with an 8-2 run that forced the decider, 25-18.
In the fifth frame, UST was trailing FEU by six, 11-5, until Cordora and Mary Coronado converted three straight points to cut the deficit to three.
The Tigresses tried to stay alive, 14-10, but FEU’s Lovely Lopez put UST to rest after a crosscourt kill that gave the Lady Tamaraws a semifinals berth.
Jean Asis and Lopez scored 17 and 13 markers for FEU, respectively.
UST split its matches in Pool B, losing to the University of Batangas in its SSL opener, before defeating the SOCCSKSARGEN Warriors for its first win.
