The University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses swept the Ateneo De Manila University Lady Eagles to secure their fifth consecutive victory, 25-20, 25-23, 25-21, in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament on March 9, Sunday, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

Angge Poyos was UST’s top gunner, tallying 19 points built on 16 attacks, two blocks, and an ace, while Reg Jurado and Pia Abbu also stepped up for the Golden Tigresses, contributing 14 and 13 markers.

UST endured a shaky start to the match after the Lady Eagles unleashed a 7-1 blitz fueled by Yvana Sulit and AC Miner, 11-5.

Sophia Buena suffered a bad fall during a rally late in the first period, adding to Ateneo’s list of injured players.

Jurado fired up four straight markers to widen their lead to six late in the opening set, 21-15, while Bianca Plaza and Poyos followed up with kills of their own to seal the first frame, 25-20.

The Golden Tigresses established a 10-4 cushion at the start of the second canto, but the Lady Eagles clawed back through a 12-5 rally ignited by Lyann De Guzman, Sulit, and Miner, 15-16.

Poyos provided the spark UST needed during a close second set joust, pumping in four clutch points followed by a swift kill by Beth Hilongo to give the Golden Tigresses a two-set advantage, 25-23.

Both teams were still locked in a battle of attrition in the third frame, but back-to-back attacks by Alexia Montoro gave Ateneo a one-point lead, 16-17.

The España-based squad responded through a service ace from Plaza and three straight kills by Poyos and Jurado to pad their lead to four, 23-19.

A block from Jurado helped UST pull through in a nerve-wracking back-and-forth third set, 25-21.

This will be the first sweep of the season for the Golden Tigresses.

“Thankful kami first time namin maka straight set. Ipa- polish pa namin ‘yung mga skills kasi nagkakaroon ng doubt saka confusion sa game namin especially sa receiving formation namin,” Golden Tigresses assistant coach Yani Fernandez said.

“Kaya kailangan naming itama at… kailangan committed sila sa lahat ng gagawin nila,” he added.

Miner topped the scoring sheets for Ateneo with 13 points, while De Guzman pumped in 11 points in the losing effort

The Golden Tigresses will now aim to end the first round with a win against their rivals, the NU Lady Bulldogs, on March 16, Sunday, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.