UST beats UP for its best start since Season 73
Angeline Poyos fuels UST Tigresses to a 6-0 start with a win over UP in UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball. – UAAP
University of Santo Tomas frustrated University of the Philippines, 25-22, 25-20, 26-24, to keep its unbeaten streak moving on Wednesday at the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament.
Rookie hitter Angeline Poyos powered the Tigresses with 22 points and four aces while Xyza Gula added 12 attacks out of 14 points, propelling them to a sixth straight victory as they inched toward sweeping the first round.
“All the hard work has been paying off. This is our best start so far and although these victories have boosted our morale, it’s still a long tournament ahead,’’ said UST coach Kungfu Reyes.
SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 86 volleyball first round
Gula also contributed 12 receptions and 10 digs on the defensive end on top of two aces while Casey Carballo orchestrated their fluid offense with 16 excellent sets.
The Tigresses are enjoying their finest start in the league since Season 73 when they kicked off the campaign with a 6-0 record.
UST coach KungFu Reyes, Angge Poyos, Reg Jurado, and Em Banagua after inching closer to a first round sweep. #UAAPSeason86 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/qiCTToWWnI
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) March 13, 2024
“We have to respect our opponents. What you’ve witnessed was a very tight match. We have yet to get our rhythm and execute efficiently,’’ said Reyes.
READ: Behind UST’s unbeaten start in UAAP volleyball: The ‘fantastic’ coaching staff
Stephanie Bustrillo led the way for the Lady Maroons with 14 points and Mikaela Magsombol tossed 17 excellent sets as UP amply filled the gap due to Nina Ytang’s absence with effective blocking.
“We fell behind with our blocking, but we managed to adjust in every set,’’ said Poyos.
The Lady Maroons gamely fought in the first set, leaning on rookie Jan Baclay and Bustrillo in keeping in step with the Tigresses.
UST Golden Tigresses in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament. –UAAP PHOTO
Back-to-back attacks by Poyos, however, ultimately altered the course as the Tigresses regained their footing, 22-20, approaching the crucial stages.
Another Poyos down-the-line hit pushed them closer, after which Margaret Banagua’s block on Joan Monares settled the issue at set point.
The Tigresses were threatened again in the second frame as Magsombol’s ace leveled the count at 19.
READ: UAAP: UST Tigresses channel ‘Mamba Mentality’ in latest win
But Regina Jurado pierced through the UP defense, scoring three of her team’s last four attacks before Gula wrapped up the set with a crosscourt kill.
The script hardly altered in the third and final set with the Lady Maroons taking control early only to let it slip away near the end.
Monares knocked down a cross, putting them ahead, 11-8, before Irah Jaboneta and Baclay kept the Tigresses from a distance.
Poyos and Banagua engineered the comeback with Gula’s long hit to an open spot at the back providing UST the edge.
Bustrillos knotted the count one last time at 24 with a booming cross, but Poyos hammered the Lady Maroons with another cross prior to Jurado’s strike that sealed UP’s sixth straight defeat in as many games.
