Despite missing star rookie Angeline Poyos, the UST Golden Tigresses overcame the UP Lady Maroons in four sets, 25-14, 25-13, 28-30, 25-15, at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, April 10.
Poyos, UST's leading scorer and Rookie of the Year candidate this season, was absent due to dehydration, according to UST head coach Kungfu Reyes.
Meanwhile, Em Banagua sat out her second straight game with an unspecified leg injury.
“Naitawid naman namin ‘tong game na ‘to para [kila] Poyos at Em. Nothing serious about kay Poyos, ibinigay lang namin yung tamang pahinga para makapagrecover talaga [siya],” said Reyes.
Despite not having the two, UST took control of the first and second set, with Jonna Perdido, Reg Jurado, and Xyza Gula taking charge of scoring, prompting Reyes to emphasize the Tigresses' offensive balance after the game.
“Sumusuporta ang bawat isa, pero hindi kami umaasa sa iisang tao,” Reyes said.
“That’s why 14 kami, so pwedeng mag step up yung ibang mga ladies natin… we still have 12 strong ladies na part ng team,” he added.
Perdido led the scoring for the España-based squad with a career-high of 24 points built on 22 attacks, one block, and one service ace.
Jurado logged 24 points, while Gula chipped in 12 points to lift UST to their 10th win.
After two dominant sets, however, UST fell short in the third frame as UP leaned on Steph Bustrillo and Jewel Encarnacion's timely hits to extend the set and tame the Tigresses, 28-30.
UP posted more points in the third set than their first and second period outputs combined, 28-27.
Mary Coronado, who finished with nine points, then took the cudgels in the fourth set for UST, punctuating the game with a block after a dominant showing from the get go, 25-15.
Last season’s second-best middle blocker Niña Ytang recorded 14 points for the Lady Maroons.
The Golden Tigresses now hold a 10-1 record while the Lady Maroons remain at the bottom of the standings at 1-10.
UST is set to face the FEU Lady Tamaraws on Saturday, April 13 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
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