The UST Growling Tigresses walloped the UE Lady Red warriors with a 42-point beating, 86-44, to start off a strong campaign in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament on Sunday, Sept. 8, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Rookie Karylle Sierba led the charge for UST, pumping in 18 points on 8-for-13 shooting off the bench, three assists, and three steals to lift the Tigresses in securing their first win of the season.

Kent Pastrana and Amby Ambos also contributed 15 and 13 markers for UST, while Nicole Danganan and Angelika Soriano combined for 13 points in the winning effort, respectively.

Sierba’s back-to-back buckets late in the first quarter helped the Growling Tigresses hold a slim two-point lead by the end of the period, 15-13.

Baskets from CJ Maglupay, Brigette Santos, Sierba, and Ambos sparked a 9-0 run early in the second canto to propel the España-based squad to a commanding 11-point lead, 24-13.

Pastrana’s two straight buckets in the final minute of the first half granted UST an opportunity to wrap it up with a 17-point margin, 41-24.

Up by 25 early in the third, the Growling Tigresses again initiated a 10-4 blast to widen the lead to 28, ending the period and denying the Lady Red Warriors’ hope for a comeback, 62-34.

The UAAP Season 86 defending champions continued to hold a firm grip of the lead coming into the fourth, leading by as big as 42 points to ultimately devour the Lady Red Warriors, 86-44.

Meanwhile, Rachel Lacayanga paced UE in the loss, tallying 11 points and three steals, while Kamba Kone and Aliyah Ronquillo combined for 16 points, respectively, in the losing effort.

The Growling Tigresses currently stand at the top of the table with a 1-0 win-loss record and will look to prowl for another win as they are set to clash against the Ateneo Lady Eagles on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at the same venue.