UST Tigresses celebrate win over La Salle Lady Spikers that clinched the twice-to-beat bonus in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball Final Four. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines–UST clawed the final twice-to-beat advantage in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament by beating defending champion La Salle anew, 22-25, 25-23, 25-16, 25-15 Saturday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Leading Rookie of the Year candidate Angge Poyos unleashed 22 points from 18 attacks, three blocks and an ace for the Golden Tigresses to end the preliminary round by sweeping the Lady Spikers in their two encounters and lifting UST to the No. 2 slot in the Final Four.
UST coach KungFu Reyes, Angge Poyos, Jonna Perdido, Pia Abbu, and Detdet Pepito after completing the elimination round sweep of La Salle. #UAAPSeason86 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/GShY5VXyVT
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“Sobrang saya lang makakuha ng twice-to-beat advantage and talagang nagtrabaho lahat and pinag-sipagan namin lahat,” Poyos said. “Nangibabaw yung puso and tapang namin today kaya nakuha namin yung panalo.”
READ: UAAP: UST heads into clash vs La Salle with Poyos healthy again
Jonna Perdido tallied 19 points from 18 attacks and an ace to help Poyos as Regina Jurado poured 13 points from 10 attacks, two aces and a block to lift UST to a 12-2 record ahead of its semifinal matchup against the Lady Spikers themselves.
“Sa next laban namin kailangan pa din anmin maging matapang sa laro and kailangan pa rin namin mag-communicate inside the court kasi yun yung unang-una kailangan namin,” said Perdido, who was also instrumental in UST first round trouncing of La Salle.
UST Tigresses’ star Angge Poyos. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
La Salle welcomed back its star Angel Canino, who immediately made her impact to help the Lady Spikers gain an early set lead. Canino was limited to 13 attack points to backstop another go-to spiker Shevana Laput who finished with 26 points from 23 attacks, two aces a block.
However, UST was not simply going to back down from that opening loss and made sure not to let its guard down in the next three sets.
READ: UAAP: Detdet Pepito’s leadership bolsters UST’s twice-to-beat bid
“Kino-congratulate ko tong mga player namin na talagang nagtatrabaho para sa team o para sa UST and siyempre maganda tong pag pasok ng top four kasi nga malaking malaking panalo yung nangyari ngayong gabi,” coach KungFu Reyes said.
“Nakuha namin yung ine-aim namin na hindi lang basta makapasok ng top four, which is magkaroon kami ng twice-to-beat advantage. Hindi naging madali yung mga pinagdaanan ng mga bata lalo na yung makaharap mo yung 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 hammered a down-the-line kill to give UST a six-point cushion, 19-13, before Canino retaliated with an off-the-block hit–La Salle’s last for a long time–as Poyos and Perdido strung up three consecutive points.
Carballo found a spot to place a 1-2 play before Laput shocked the Tigresses’ defense from back row, 23-15. Perdido punched a kill off the hands of Canino, and Xyza Gula hit another ace, one of her two points which both came from set-clinching aces, for the game-winner.
“Nagsisimula lang ulit ng another chapter kasi nga nasa Final Four na tayo pero, again ice-celebrate muna namin yung panalo namin ngayong gabi then for the next day back to hard court,” Reyes said.