Golden Tigresses sweep Lady Warriors for 8th win

MANILA, Philippines — University of Santo Tomas made quick work of the already-eliminated University of the East, 25-19, 25-16, 25-15, to move within striking distance of a fifth straight UAAP Women's Volleyball Final Four stint on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum. Behind the consistent contributions of Season 86 Rookie of the Year Angge Poyos and off-the-bench spark plug in Kyla Cordora, the Golden Tigresses clinched their third straight win to hike their record to 8-4.Not only did UST inch closer to its fifth consecutive Final Four berth, but the Golden Tigresses also eliminated the Adamson University Lady Falcons -- who are set to face the FEU Lady Tamaraws later today -- in the process.UST can grab a seat in the Final Four should University of the Philippines fall to De La Salle University tomorrow at the same Cubao dome. However, should the Fighting Maroons stun the Lady Spikers, the Golden Tigresses will have to win their second-round match-up against UP on Wednesday, April 23, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena to clinch a postseason ticket. Ranged against a Lady Warriors side desperate for a win, the Tigresses went into full throttle and even coach Kungfu Reyes had the luxury of giving other players court time."First, syempre yung respeto sa team ng UE nandoon naman kaya pinaghandaan talaga namin. Ang maganda rito, nabigyan namin ng exposure yung ibang players namin at nakapagdeliver naman. Hopefully, magamit nila itong game na ito para sa next games namin," UST head coach Reyes said. The Lady Warriors showed signs of competitiveness in the third set by narrowing the gap to 10-7, but the Golden Tigresses responded with a dominant 6-1 run -- capped by a Marga Altea ace and two straight hits from Poyos -- to build a 16-8 cushion. That proved to be all the breathing room that UST needed as two straight through-the-block attacks from Regina Jurado and Ash Knop, an Altea crosscourt hit, and an attack error from Van Bangayan sealed the Golden Tigresses' 10th consecutive win over the Lady Warriors since Season 81 in 2019.Building on a scorching 18-8 start to the second frame, the Golden Tigresses never looked back as Knop -- a rookie out of Angeles University Foundation Integrated School -- scored the last three of five UST points to cruise to a 2-0 set cushion. "Nagpapasalamat ako sa binigay na tiwala ng teammates at ng coaches ko. Yung need ko rin pagkatiwalaan ko yung sarili ko na kaya ko maglaro at patunayan sarili ko lalo," Cordora said, who provided eight points on 8-of-13 attack efficiency with seven excellent digs and six excellent receptions. Poyos tallied 12 points in UST's eight win in 12 outings, while Jurado added 10 points on nine attacks with 10 excellent digs. Altea chipped in seven points on three attacks, two blocks, and two aces, while Banagua also provided seven points on four attacks and three blocks. Knop added five points. Meanwhile, the struggles for the Lady Warriors continued, suffering their 13th consecutive defeat in as many games. They are now on the verge of going winless in a UAAP women's volleyball tournament for the first time since Season 77 in 2015.UST's defense stiffled Bangayan to six points on 5-of-30 attack efficiency, while Riza Nogales tallied five points on three attacks and two blocks in the losing effort. Similar to their men's counterparts, UE aims to prevent a winless campaign when it takes on also-ran Ateneo de Manila University on Saturday, April 26, also at the same Cubao venue. TMT

MANILA, Philippines — University of Santo Tomas made quick work of the already-eliminated University of the East, 25-19, 25-16, 25-15, to move within striking distance of a fifth straight UAAP Women's Volleyball Final Four stint on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum. Behind the consistent contributions of Season 86 Rookie of the Year Angge Poyos and off-the-bench spark plug in Kyla Cordora, the Golden Tigresses clinched their third straight win to hike their record to 8-4. Not only did UST inch closer to its fifth consecutive Final Four berth, but the Golden Tigresses also eliminated the Adamson University Lady Falcons -- who are set to face the FEU Lady Tamaraws later today -- in the process.

UST can grab a seat in the Final Four should University of the Philippines fall to De La Salle University tomorrow at the same Cubao dome. However, should the Fighting Maroons stun the Lady Spikers, the Golden Tigresses will have to win their second-round match-up against UP on Wednesday, April 23, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena to clinch a postseason ticket. Ranged against a Lady Warriors side desperate for a win, the Tigresses went into full throttle and even coach Kungfu Reyes had the luxury of giving other players court time.

"First, syempre yung respeto sa team ng UE nandoon naman kaya pinaghandaan talaga namin. Ang maganda rito, nabigyan namin ng exposure yung ibang players namin at nakapagdeliver naman. Hopefully, magamit nila itong game na ito para sa next games namin," UST head coach Reyes said.

The Lady Warriors showed signs of competitiveness in the third set by narrowing the gap to 10-7, but the Golden Tigresses responded with a dominant 6-1 run -- capped by a Marga Altea ace and two straight hits from Poyos -- to build a 16-8 cushion. That proved to be all the breathing room that UST needed as two straight through-the-block attacks from Regina Jurado and Ash Knop, an Altea crosscourt hit, and an attack error from Van Bangayan sealed the Golden Tigresses' 10th consecutive win over the Lady Warriors since Season 81 in 2019. Building on a scorching 18-8 start to the second frame, the Golden Tigresses never looked back as Knop -- a rookie out of Angeles University Foundation Integrated School -- scored the last three of five UST points to cruise to a 2-0 set cushion.

"Nagpapasalamat ako sa binigay na tiwala ng teammates at ng coaches ko. Yung need ko rin pagkatiwalaan ko yung sarili ko na kaya ko maglaro at patunayan sarili ko lalo," Cordora said, who provided eight points on 8-of-13 attack efficiency with seven excellent digs and six excellent receptions. Poyos tallied 12 points in UST's eight win in 12 outings, while Jurado added 10 points on nine attacks with 10 excellent digs.

Altea chipped in seven points on three attacks, two blocks, and two aces, while Banagua also provided seven points on four attacks and three blocks. Knop added five points. Meanwhile, the struggles for the Lady Warriors continued, suffering their 13th consecutive defeat in as many games.

They are now on the verge of going winless in a UAAP women's volleyball tournament for the first time since Season 77 in 2015. UST's defense stiffled Bangayan to six points on 5-of-30 attack efficiency, while Riza Nogales tallied five points on three attacks and two blocks in the losing effort. Similar to their men's counterparts, UE aims to prevent a winless campaign when it takes on also-ran Ateneo de Manila University on Saturday, April 26, also at the same Cubao venue.

TMT.