UAAP: UST earns back-to-back wins, deals Ateneo 7th loss

The UAAP Golden Tigresses. UAAP Media

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – For the first time in the second round of the UAAP Season 87 women's volleyball tournament, University of Santo Tomas has earned back-to-back wins.

This happened when the Golden Tigresses swept Ateneo de Manila University, 25-15, 26-24, 26-24, on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, earning their seventh win in 11 games.

In their previous game date, they pulled off a five-set comeback against Shaina Nitura-led Adamson University, 25-18, 23-25, 22-25, 27-25, 15-8.

"Binabalikan lang po namin kung ano 'yung purpose namin kasi gusto po naming makabalik sa Final Four hanggang sa, hopefully, makabalik kami ulit sa finals this year. Tine-take lang talaga namin na one game at a time," said playmaker Cassie Carballo, who facilitated UST's triumph with 17 excellent sets while adding five points, including the game-winning block.

"Medyo nag-struggle kami, nag-three consecutive losses kami, pero thankful naman ako kasi nakabalik kami sa winning column and hopefully magtuloy-tuloy," Carballo added.

READ: Lessons from 3-game skid served UST well against Adamson, says Kungfu

Angge Poyos bannered the Tigresses' offense, firing 16 points on 15 attacks and one service ace, while Reg Jurado and Marga Altea delivered 10 each.

After asserting dominance in the opener, the Tigresses had to endure in the next one against the gritty Blue Eagles side, who even reached set point at 22-24.

The yellow jerseys proved to be better late, unleashing a 4-0 blitz built on Altea and Poyos' clutch hits to steal the set from the Blue Eagles.

READ:UAAP: UST weathers another Nitura scoring explosion, beats Adamson to snap skid

Set 3 followed a similar pattern as it went the distance, but this time, it was UST which had the edge at 24-22.

Ateneo's AC Miner and Zey Pacia were there to knot the game at 24-24, sending the frame to extension.

But UST fought back in style, as Poyos fired a sharp spike and Carballo nailed a kill block on Alex Montoro to complete the straight-set triumph that lasted one hour and 36 minutes.

READ: UAAP: La Salle outlasts UST in 5-set epic behind Canino, Laput’s heroics

Ateneo seemed to have the better floor defense though — Blue Eagles listed 34 excellent digs compared to the Golden Tigresses' 27, and even tallied 10 more excellent receptions over the Espana-based spikers.

Miner led the Ateneo scoring with 13 points, while skipper Lyann de Guzman grabbed 12 markers.