UST Tigresses celebrate victory over La Salle Lady Spikers, who captured the two-time bonus in the Season 86 UAAP women's volleyball Final Four. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines – UST grabbed the final two-time lead in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament by again defeating defending champion La Salle 22-25, 25-23, 25-16, 25-15 on Saturday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Angge Poyos, the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year, scored 22 points on 18 attacks, three blocks and an ace as the Golden Tigresses closed out the preliminary round by beating the Lady Spikers in their two meetings and lifting UST to second place in the Final Four.
UST coach KungFu Reyes, Angge Poyos, Jonna Perdido, Pia Abbu and Detdet Pepito after completing the La Salle knockout round. #UAAPSeason86 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/GShY5VXyVT
– INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) April 27, 2024
“It’s a lot of fun to get a double lead and everyone really worked and we all worked hard,” Poyos said. “Our heart and courage prevailed today and we achieved victory.”
READ: UAAP: UST enters clash against La Salle with Poyos healthy again
Jonna Perdido scored 19 points on 18 attacks and an ace to help Poyos, while Regina Jurado scored 13 points on 10 attacks, two aces and a block to lead UST to a 12-2 record ahead of their semifinal clash against the Lady themselves. Spikers.
“In our next match, we still need to be brave in the game and we still need to communicate on the court because that's what we need first,” said Perdido, who was also instrumental in UST's victory over La Salle in the first round.
Angge Poyos, star of the UST Tigresses. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
La Salle welcomed its star Angel Canino, who immediately made her impact to help the Lady Spikers gain the lead in the opening set. Canino was limited to 13 attack points to defend another winger, Shevana Laput, who finished with 26 points on 23 attacks, two aces per block.
However, UST would not simply back down from that opening defeat and made sure not to let their guard down in the next three sets.
READ: UAAP: Detdet Pepito's leadership reinforces UST's twice as good offer
“I congratulate our players who really work for the team or for UST and of course it's good to get into the top four because it was a big win tonight,” said coach KungFu Reyes.
“We achieved what we wanted, which is not just getting into the top four, but having twice as much advantage. What the kids went through wasn't easy, especially when you're facing the defending champion,” Reyes added.
La Salle led in the fourth set 9-10 before the Tigresses unleashed an 11-4 run to take control of the crucial frame.
READ: UAAP: No Angge Poyos, no problem for UST Tigresses
Poyos hit a kill at the line to give UST a six-point lead, 19-13, before Canino retaliated with a hit off the block — La Salle's last in a long time — as Poyos and Perdido tied together three consecutive points.
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Carballo found a spot to make a 1-2 play before Laput shocked the Tigresses' back line defense, 23-15. Perdido landed a deadly blow into the hands of Canino, and Xyza Gula hit another ace, one of his two points, both coming from aces that clinched the set, for the game winner.
“We are just starting another chapter because we are already in the Final Four, but once again, we will celebrate our victory on the ice tonight and the next day we will return to the hard court,” Reyes said.
