UAAP volleyball: Back in full form, Poyos powers UST past UE

UST Tigresses’ Angge Poyos.–UAAP PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Angeline Poyos rose above the net for another ferocious kill, but elected to just drop an off-speed spike at the center, pushing the University of Santo Tomas Tigresses closer to match point.

The energetic hitter just reached a rookie milestone during UST’s emphatic 25-19, 25-9, 25-17 triumph over University of the East on Sunday at the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament.

Back to her old lethal form, Poyos knocked down 21 attacks out of her 25 points, the last one increasing her total output to 268 in 12 games and wiping out the rookie record of Faith Nisperos in Season 82 for good where the former Ateneo spiker compiled 267 points.

SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 86 volleyball second round

“I’m happy to be back 100 percent. We didn’t play for one week, so it gave me more time to rest and recover,” said Poyos after suffering from dehydration that forced her to miss their match against UP and sat out the fourth set of their encounter with FEU.

The Tigresses tied National University at the top with their 11th victory where the final second-round match against defending champion La Salle (10-2) on Saturday could determine their position in the Final Four.

“We’re aiming for the top two spots and the twice to beat. We’re actually just a bystander (for a twice-to-beat advantage), but since we’re already here, might as well join the commotion,” said UST coach Kungfu Reyes.

Reg Jurado helped out Poyos with 11 points built around nine attacks and had two aces and seven digs, thanks to Cassie Carballo’s 17 excellent sets and outstanding playmaking as the Tigresses bounced back from a poignant defeat against the FEU Lady Tamaraws.

“We were able to correct our lapses against FEU. I think we are doing fine,” said Poyos, who accounted for three of the Tigresses’ nine aces plus a block apart from four receptions and two digs.

READ: UAAP: UST coach says Angge Poyos still ‘not 100 percent’

Detdet Pepito contributed 13 digs and 11 receptions in protecting their fort against UE hitters Khy Cepada and rookie Casiey Dongallo. The Lady Warriors dropped their 11th match in 13 outings.

After three early lead changes and nine deadlocks in the opening set, the Tigresses bolted out of a dicey exchange with a 6-0 run mostly moored on the exploits of Pia Abu and Jonah Perdido.

Abu knocked down a power tip and punched another for a 16-14 UST advantage before Perdido’s pair of aces sandwiched by the aggression of Poyos over two blockers put them safely ahead.

Poyos was again unstoppable in puncturing holes with back-to-back hits and Em Banagua, seeing action for the first time after missing several matches due to an injury, delivered a power push at set point.

The Tigresses hit the ground running in the second set, kicking it off with a 12-3 lead built around the offensive onslaught of Poyos, Abu and Jurado.

Abu continued to pounce a huge void in the middle and was later joined by Jurado and Poyos as they refused to present an atmosphere where the Lady Warriors could mount a fightback.

Poyos keyed the final raid—a down-the-line hit followed by a powerful crosscourt smash and an ace–that closed out the set.

The Lady Warriors worked for a better start in the third set by keeping UST on its toes for a long stretch only to fumble again in the heat of the moment.

Cepada unloaded a series of attacks that pushed UE to a five-point advantage, but the Tigresses were patient enough to crawl back and knotted the count at 14 through the efforts of Poyos and Bianca Plaza.

Back-to-back violations by the Lady Warriors didn’t help their cause, allowing the Tigresses to break free from the impasse.

Pierre Abellano took her turn to play hero, scoring three straight including an ace that put them on the driver’s seat for good before Poyos went on an attack spree again and Carballo finished it off with a one-two play.