Eya Laure (No. 8) is the Tigress with the loudest growl. —UAAP PHOTO
Locked in a tight fight for the second twice-to-beat slot in the Final Four, University of Santo Tomas and Adamson take on different foes on Saturday, looking to stay in step with each other in the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament at PhilSports Arena.
And with the Growling Tigresses having the more formidable foe in Ateneo in the 2 p.m. contest, Regina Jurado, a rookie who has been a revelation for Santo Tomas, wants her side to keep playing with the consistency that has made them one of the title favorites.
Helping Eya
UST rookie Regina Jurado. –UAAP PHOTO
“If we look at our past games, there’s still this inconsistency in us,” Jurado said in Filipino. “Personally, I am happy if I can contribute, because we need to take some of the offensive burden off of Eya (Laure).”
And while the Tigresses and the Lady Falcons, tied with idle defending champion National U at 7-3, are shooting for the semifinal bonus, the Lady Eagles will come into the game simply clinging to life as another loss can push them closer to elimination.
Adamson has the lighter assignment in winless University of the East at 12 noon.
Laure is the tournament’s leading scorer with 168 total points topped by a 29-point performance last April 2 when the Tigresses destroyed league-leading La Salle’s seeming myth of invincibility with a 25-19, 14-25, 25-18, 25-12 victory.
The Tigresses have said that they are prepared to battle complacency better this time. In the first round, they were the first squad to beat the Lady Bulldogs since 2020 before stumbling in straight sets against Adamson a few days after.
After that victory over La Salle, that resolve will be tested again.
Santo Tomas will be looking to sweep the Lady Eagles this season, having triumphed, 25-19, 25-23, 25-14, in the first round. But that result doesn’t worry sophomore Lyann de Guzman, who knows that things could fall into place for Ateneo after going through some rough times this season.
“It will be great if we can all click in the same game,” De Guzman said, referring to the team’s other stars in Faith Nisperos and Vanie Gandler. “That’s why coach (Oliver Almadro) keeps pushing us, because he knows that we have it in us.”