UST Tigresses on a high after taking down La Salle Lady Spikers. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Arrows flew high but none landed on the University of Santo Tomas’ lawn as De La Salle University succumbed to the Tigresses in straight sets, 25-21, 25-22, 25-21, in the UAAP Season 78 women’s volleyball tournament Wednesday at San Juan Arena.
The Golden Tigresses, struggling in Season 78 so far, ripped apart the Lady Spikers who were coming off a straight set finish of archrivals Ateneo on Saturday.
Tigresses captain EJ Laure played heroine for UST as she registered 13 points, two of those being the match point and winner, as they improved to 3-4.
La Salle fell to 5-2 giving sole possession of the top seed to Ateneo, which sits at 6-1.
Laure put UST up 24-20 with a cross court kill then followed it up, after Alyssa Teope’s service miscue, with a combination play from the back row to stamp the stripes on La Salle’s green mantle.
Golden Tigresses head coach Kung Fu Reyes said he had one little secret to topple the green monster of La Salle: rest.
“Gumaan pakiramdam namin nung nagpahinga,” Reyes said. “Almost everyday ensayo, may game kami nung Sunday then ensayo Monday, pag nag ensayo kami ng Tuesday baka wala na kaming ilaro, so pagod na rin ako, pahinga rin ako.”
The Lady Spikers took an 18-15 lead in the third set, but a five-point spurt from rookie Christine Francisco gave the Golden Tigresses the lead, 20-18, for good.
Kim Fajardo, a once player of Reyes at UST High School, had the chance to close in on the Golden Tigresses’ lead but her service went awry giving UST a 23-20 lead.
Reyes said losing so many games before their match against La Salle became a pent-up ball of motivation and it was just a matter of time before it exploded.
“Every time natatalo kami mas na mo motivate yung mga bata, para kaming sakit ng tiyan di namin alam kung kailan sasakit,” Reyes said. “Anytime pwedeng kasi puwedeng bumawi La Salle at kung di namin sasamantalahin yung ganoong pagkakataon, kaya every time out sinasabihan ko ‘tignan niyo La Salle di na gumagalaw yan, wag na nating buhayin yan.’”
Laure and Cherry Rondina led UST with 13 and 11 points, respectively while Jessey De Leon added eight.
Ara Galang and Mary Joy Baron were the high-point girls for La Salle as they finished with 15 and 10 points, respectively.