Tigresses end 1st round on high note

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas (UST) added to the misery of University of the East (UE), 3032, 25-18, 25-16, 25-14, on Saturday, March 18, at the FilOil EcoOil Center, ending its first round campaign in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament with three straight wins.

Eya Laure pumped in 18 points on 14 attacks, three blocks and one service ace laced with six digs to lead the Golden Tigresses, who rose to a 5-2 win-loss card, thirdbest in the league at press time.

The cellar-dwelling Lady Red Warriors, meanwhile, stayed winless in the first round and dropped to 0-7.

Rookie Regina Jurado continued her stellar showing for UST as well with 13 points while May Carballo dished out 15 excellent sets.

Milena Alessandrini and Imee Hernandez punched in 12 and 10 points, respectively, in the triumph.

“We just worked on our unforced errors and lethargic play [in the first set]. We made it a point to correct it because we were unable to set the tempo of our game,” said Golden Tigresses head coach Kungfu Reyes.

UST had to recover from its first set meltdown as it relinquished a 17-6 lead to UE, which outdueled the former in the error-filled extended frame to draw first blood.

The Golden Tigresses turned it on in the next three sets, especially in the fourth, where they raced to a 14-7 advantage. Fighting back, the Red Warriors got within four, 11-15 with a 4-1 spurt.

UST, though, left UE in the dust with a 6-0 response capped by an Alessandrini ace to take a 21-11 cushion and eventually win the match on a Laure off the block kill.

Vanessa Bangayan logged 11 points, 11 digs and 13 receptions to pace the struggling Lady Red Warriors.

Ja Lana cashed in 13 points and five digs as KC Cepada put up 12 in a losing effort.