Tigresses claw Fighting Maroons to stay in UAAP semis hunt

MANILA, Philippines — As the saying goes, a wounded tiger is more dangerous than a healthy one.

With the University of Santo Tomas Tigresses fighting for a semifinal berth, they crouched and pounced against the Fighting Maroons, 23-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-19, in a crucial UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball matchup Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“Alam naman natin na super importante itong panalo for our campaign for the FInal Four. Kumbaga, ito yung band aid, pansamantala sa ranking and standing namin,” UST assistant coach Yani Fernandez said.

“So again, sinabi nga namin sa mga bata na ba't hindi pa natin i-grab itong opportunity na ito sa UP, at least man lang maka one step ahead tayo dun sa FEU. So again, kudos sa mga players na inilaban hanggang dulo,” he added.

Angge Poyos finished with 25 points in the game, to go with 11 digs and eight receptions. Reg Jurado chipped in 17, while Jonna Perdido had 13.

After splitting the first two sets, the two teams were kept in a tight third set, as they were tied at 19-all.

But Poyos, Lianne Penuliar, Avril Bron and Perdido teamed up and turned things around, giving UST a 23-19 lead.

A Fina Ali hit made it a 20-23 deficit, but Poyos smashed one in to give the Tigresses the set point, 24-20.

Ytang and Kianne Olango kept UP alive, but Poyos gave the third set to UST with an off-the-block attack.

And in the fourth set, it was all Tigresses as they took a seven point lead, 24-17, as they breezed through to the win.

Nina Ytang and Irah Jaboneta capped their collegiate careers with 19 and 16 markers, respectively, in the loss.

UST, for now, rose to solo fourth with an 8-5 win-loss record. They are ahead of the idle Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, who are holding a 7-6 record.

It will all boil down to a single match each for FEU and UST. The Lady Tamaraws will take on the Ateneo Blue Eagles, while the Tigresses will face the National University Lady Bulldogs on Wednesday.

If both teams finish with identical 8-6 records, they will face each other in a playoff. But if UST wins against NU, the squad will take the semifinal seat.

UP finished its season with a 5-9 slate.

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