Playing without two of their top scorers, the UST Golden Tigresses outlasted the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors in a five-set thriller, 24-26, 25-17, 25-23, 20-25, 15-5, in the V-League Collegiate Challenge on Saturday, Sept. 5, at Gameville Central Park.
The victory lifted UST, which played without team captain Reg Jurado and star outside hitter Angge Poyos, to a 2-1 record, while UE dropped to 1-2.
The Tigresses held a commanding advantage at the net with 14 blocks to UE’s two. UST also finished with twice as many service aces as the Lady Warriors, 10-5, with four coming from rookie Erica Gutierrez.
“The past two weeks, more on blockings talaga ‘yong i-nemphasize namin,” head coach Shaq Delos Santos told the Varsitarian. “Gumana [rin] siguro ‘yong blockings dahil sa pag-put ko ng malalaking players.”
(The past two weeks, we really emphasized blocking. Our blocking probably also worked because I fielded our taller players.)
Marga Altea led UST with 17 attack points, one block and three service aces, while Julia Balingit had 19 points.
UST asserted itself at the net in the opening set, using seven blocks to reach set point, 24-22.
However, the Tigresses failed to close it out as Janessa Buhay’s attack sparked a 4-0 UE run that gave the Lady Warriors the set, 26-24.
UST bounced back in the second set, racing to a 15-6 advantage behind consecutive kills from Balingit. UE attempted to capitalize on UST’s errors, but Altea and Balingit combined for a 9-6 surge to hand the Tigresses a 25-17 win.
Balingit’s six points helped UST establish a 15-12 lead in the third set. The teams exchanged points before Balingit delivered a back-row kill to put the Tigresses ahead, 2-1, with a 25-23 set victory.
With the fourth set tied at 8-all, UE unleashed a 6-2 run capped by Van Bangayan’s attack to move ahead, 14-10.
The Lady Warriors extended their advantage to 21-17 through Buhay’s off-the-block kills. Ashlee Knop kept UST within striking distance, but Francheska Adem’s combination-play kill and ensuing drop shot gave UE the set, 25-20.
UST came out firing in the deciding set, taking a 7-3 lead after a UE service error.
The Tigresses then broke the game open as Altea fired three straight kills before adding a combination-play point and two consecutive aces to fuel an 8-2 finishing run and seal the match, 15-5.
Balingit suffered a fall in the fourth set and did not return for the remainder of the match.
The Tigresses will return to action against the Colegio de San Juan de Letran Lady Knights on Sunday, Sept. 13, at the same venue. Jay-z V. Perez
