UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas (UST) displayed a resiliency the Tigresses would want to wield in Season 81 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines by edging a stubborn Adamson University, 25-21, 25-21, 24-26, 24-26, 15-6 in women’s volleyball action on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The day was supposed to belong to the early showdown between reigning champion De La Salle and Ateneo later in the afternoon, but the Tigresses and Lady Falcons made sure they took a chunk out of the limelight.
Eya Laure sparkled in her seniors debut with 17 points built on 13 spikes and three blocks, and Sisi Rondina flashed her veteran smarts to tally 17 points on 15 attacks for UST.
The Tigresses went two sets up but lost steam and allowed the Lady Falcons to sway the momentum in the third and fourth sets.
Luckily, the UST side stood held fort in the final set and with five unanswered points, never looked back.
Winning their first game since Season 78, Head Coach Kungfu Reyes heaved a sigh of relief after surviving the two-hour-plus match to the delight of the 15,400 in attendance for the day’s featured duel.
“This is a historic win for us. The game went up and down. Adamson had the breaks of the game in the third and fourth sets but we were able to finish it strong,” Reyes said.
“We are still learning. This is a test of character,” he added.
For her brilliant performance, Laure expressed her gratitude to the school that honed her from the junior ranks.
“I’m very thankful because I can finally showcase the skill I got from Coach Kungfu from my high-school days,” the 19-year-old Laure said.
Despite trailing in the first two frames, Adamson University showed it could be as unbending in the next two as Bernadette Flora and Christine Joy Soyud pounced on an error-prone UST.
Needing only a point to seal the match in the fourth, the Lady Falcons mounted a fightback to force deuce and steal the set.
But that was the best Adamson University could muster as Rondina and Laure took control.
Flora led the Lady Falcons with 14 points on 11 attacks, while Soyud added 13 points.
In men’s play, Adamson University did the reverse against UST to also win in a five sets, 33-31, 23-25, 16-25, 25-15, 16-14.
Paolo Pablico delivered 21 attacks for 23 points, while Lheo Miranda added 13 points on 12 spikes.
Joshua Umandal topscored for the Tigers with 22 points on 19 attacks.
Ateneo downed De La Salle, 25-23, 25-22, 25-15, in the other men’s match. Antony Koyfman had 15 points, while Ishmael Rivera and Chumason Njigha each had 10 points for the Blue Eagles.