THE UST Golden Tigresses crushed the UP Fighting Maroons in straight sets, 25-15, 25-14, 25-23, to clinch the top semifinals spot with one game remaining in the elimination round of the V-League Women’s Collegiate Championship at the Paco Arena on Sunday, Sept. 11.
The Golden Tigresses stayed atop the standings and kept their flawless win-loss record of 5-0, while pushing UP on the verge of elimination with a 3-3 standing.
“Chemistry, maturity, ‘yong skill level nae-enhance naman nila everyday tapos ito na ‘yong pinakaano nila, battleground,” head coach Emilio “Kungfu” Reyes told the Varsitarian. “From rookie team, nagkakaroon na ng maturity.”
Leading by three late into the opening canto, 18-15, the Golden Tigresses went on a 7-0 spurt capped off by Mary Banagua’s block and a UP service error, to draw first blood, 15-25.
The Fighting Maroons showed life in the second frame with back-to-back blocks from Nina Ytang and Kassandra Doering, 8-7, before the Golden Tigresses unleashed a 17-7 blast to go up two sets to none, 25-14.
The Golden Tigresses trailed by two midway through the third set, 14-16, until a UP service error and an off-the-block kill by UST’s Stephanie Arasan knotted the game at 16-all.
The Fighting Maroons committed a crucial attack error that sent the Golden Tigresses to matchpoint, 22-24.
UP tried to stay alive after Ytang’s kill, but the Golden Tigresses ran away with the victory with a 1-2 play from Cassie Carballo, 25-23.
Golden Tigress Angeline Poyos scored 15 markers for the Tigresses, while Reg Jurado chipped in eight points.
Carballo tallied 12 excellent sets, while team captain Detdet Pepito recorded 12 excellent digs.
UP’s Kianne Olango tallied seven markers.
The Golden Tigresses will look to wrap up their perfect elimination round campaign at 12 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, against the Colegio de San Juan de Letran Lady Knights at the same venue. Rafael Paolo P. Salaya
