By Ardyn Gonzales
The University of Sto. Tomas Golden Tigresses clinched their first victory this season after sweeping the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, 26-24, 25-18, 25-21, in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament, Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
UST suffered back-to-back losses against last season’s finalists to start their campaign this year and this much-needed win is crucial in this highly competitive season.
The Golden Tigresses showed composure despite some resistance from the Blue Eagles. Ateneo was able to force a deuce in the first set after being down 21-24, but Xyza Gula stopped the bleeding with a strong crosscourt attack followed by a crucial error from the Blue Eagles to escape in the opening frame.
In the second set, UST struggled and was down 1-7, but they slowly inched closer and eventually took over the lead 14-13. The Golden Tigresses never looked back and even managed to win the set with a seven-point advantage of their own.
It was all UST in the third set as seniors Angge Poyos and Reg Jurado combined forces to get their first win of the season.
Poyos hit the 20-point mark this game, leading UST with 21 points on 19 attacks, one service ace, and one kill block. Jurado provided the support with 12 points and 10 excellent digs.
Meanwhile, Ateneo has yet to win a game this season. Rookies Donna de Leon and Ana Hermosura continue to carry the scoring load for the Blue Eagles, tallying 10 and eight points, respectively.
UST (1-2) will hope to extend its winning streak against UE (0-3), while Ateneo (0-3) will hope to score a win against the still-undefeated La Salle (3-0) squad.
Featured image courtesy of UAAP
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