UAAP: UST hands Ateneo its worst start since 2010

MANILA – (UPDATED) University of Santo Tomas (UST) sent Ateneo de Manila University to its worst start in 13 years in UAAP women’s volleyball. 

The Golden Tigresses pounced the skidding Blue Eagles on Wednesday, 25-19, 25-23, 25-14, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan, to book back-to-back wins. 

UST improved its record to 4-2, while the error-prone Blue Eagles suffered their fourth straight loss of the season and slid to a 1-5 card – their worst slate since its 1-4 start in UAAP Season 73 back in 2010.

Regina Jurado proved her consistency even as a rookie as she steered UST with 15 points on 12 attacks and three aces. Veterans Eya Laure and Imee Hernandez had 19 combined markers. 

“Nakaka-execute kami nang medyo malinis-linis 'yung galaw namin. Medyo may mga kailangan pang i-polish especially 'yung gitna namin. Na-overcome namin, I think wala kaming service error today. Napakasarap sa pakiramdam na lalabas kami na wala masyadong unforced error,” head coach Kungfu Reyes said.

UST committed just 11 errors in the entire game compared to a whopping 25 for the Blue Eagles. 

Tied at 10 in the second set, UST slowly built a separation as Hernandez scored an attack and a block. Jurado added to the scoring barrage as the Tigresses took a 16-12 lead. 

Ateneo crawled back in the set as Lyann de Guzman unleashed some hits combined with a couple of errors from UST to trim its deficit to one, 18-19. 

But Jurado, once again took over with a down-the-line spike and a well-executed combination play for a 23-19 gap. Blue Eagles threatened to steal the set with a last-ditch effort but Laure hammered a back row spike to end it, 25-23. 

In the third set, UST pulled away early with a 12-6 advantage only to see the Blue Eagles move closer, 14-12, capped by a crosscourt hit from Faith Nisperos. 

The Tigresses then dropped an 11-2 run in the next sequences, highlighted by Jurado’s service aces to finish the match in one hour and 28 minutes

Vanie Gandler led Ateneo with 13 points, while De Guzman and Nisperos had 11 apiece.