Regina Jurado leads UST’s two-game sweep of Perpetual Help in the Shakey’s Super League. SSL photo
Sweet sweep for UST
SWEET sweep for University of Santo Tomas.
Led by the 1-2 punch of Angeline Poyos and Regina Jurado, UST finished off University of Perpetual Help System Dalta in four sets, 25-20, 25-21, 17-25, 25-13, to clinch the bronze medal in the 2023 Shakey’s Super League National Invitationals at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The España-based Golden Tigresses completed a two-game sweep of the scheduled best-of-three battle for third place.
UST pulled off an easy 25-15, 25-22, 25-15 win over the Altas in Game 1.
“Finally, nagkaroon din kami ng medal,” said coach Kungfu Reyes, referring to the Golden Tigresses’ first medal in any major tournament since 2019 when they finished runner-up to Ateneo in the UAAP Season 81.
“New faces, new chapter for us. We’re a very young team pero may spice ng konti. Parang siling labuyo lang,” added Reyes, who introduced a glimpse of what’s in store for UST in a new era after the graduation of its core led by long-time ace spiker Eya Laure.
Actually, UST made up for a third-set meltdown with a relentless showing in the fourth set to complete a sweep of Perpetual Help.
After dropping the third set, UST decided it was enough.
The Golden Tigresses broke the gates wide open with a 14-3 closeout in the fourth frame behind the lethal duo of Poyos and Jurado to finish at the podium of the tough 12-team nationwide competition presented by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) with Eurotel as the official hotel and Victory Liner as office transport provider.
Super rookie Poyos stood at the forefront of the Golden Tigresses’s charge by firing 26 points on 16 hits, two blocks and eight aces.
Sophomore Jurado chipped in 19 points.
Xyza Gula added 13 points Athena Abbu contributed eight points and Mary Coronado had six points for UST.
Still up by 15-13 in the third, the Golden Tigresses succumbed to the Lady Altas’ 12-2 rally for a 25-17 win that set the stage for the fourth set.
But UST was not to be denied from there.
The Golden Tigresses pulled away from a close 11-10 cushion with a killer 8-1 blast ignited by Poyos’ hammer down the line and ended by her ace for a comfortable 19-11 lead heading home.
In bagging the bronze medal, UST won five of its six matches.
The team’s lone setback came against La Salle in five sets of the semis also backed by Mikasa, Team Rebel Sports, Summit Bottled Water, Genius Sports, Potato Corner, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken and Sauce Bar, and R&B Tea.
NCAA Mary Rhose Dapol tallied 25 points for Perpetual, which settled for fourth place despite a stellar run highlighted by an upset win over two-time NCAA champion College of St. Benilde in the quarterfinals.
All SSL matches are accessible across all platforms live and on-demand with Plus Network Digital Media Services, CNN Philippines, Solar Sports Entertainment and TAP Sports serving as media partners.
The historic National Invitationals, with support from Boy Tuikinhoy of Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc., Alex Adeva of Northern Mindanao Volleyball Association of Coaches and Referees and San Juan Red Cross chapter, are also showing live in all Shakey’s branches nationwide.
