It’s clear that the UST Golden Tigresses are still a work in progress despite getting their first win for UAAP Season 87.
A win may be a win, but the UST Golden Tigresses themselves know that they still have their work cut out for them early into the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
The Tigresses on Saturday rebounded from their opening day loss against FEU by fending off the UE Lady Warriors 28-26, 22-25, 25-23, 25-15 at the FilOil EcoOil Arena in San Juan, with the one-two punch of Angge Poyos and Reg Jurado showing the way in the two-hour and five-minute contest.
Rookie Marga Altea chipped in 10 points, while middle blockers Pia Abbu and Blessing Unewke chipped in eight and six-points apiece in the breakthrough win. Co-captain Detdet Pepito, meanwhile, held down the floor with 16 excellent digs and 14 excellent receptions.
“Syempre happy kasi nakuha din namin, na-feel ulit nami na manalo, pero syempre marami pa rin kailangan trabahuhin at ‘di naman kami susuko sa mga kulang namin,” Pepito told reporters on Saturday. “Lahat talaga, lahat ng position need pa trabahuhan.”
But while they now hold a 1-1 record, UST’s first win was far from pretty, as they committed 29 service errors and allowed 12 service aces from the shorthanded Lady Warriors. The Tigresses were also close to squandering a 16-9 advantage in Set 3, before Jurado and Poyos connived to carve out the 25-23 victory.
“Credit naman po sa UE kasi iba talaga ‘yung sistema na meron sila, and medyo nagsa-struggle talaga kami sa service, ‘yung karga nila sa service. Thankfully naka-adjust naman, pero ‘yun nga di pa rin talaga kami satisfied sa nilaro namin ngayon,” she said.
Up next for the UST Golden Tigresses will be a Final Four rematch against the DLSU Lady Spikers this February 26 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay. Given this, pressure will now be on the Tigresses as they try to minimize the errors they have recognized early into the new UAAP Women’s Volleyball season.
Pepito herself also vowed to continue being the veteran leader that UST needs, especially with the Tigresses parading another rookie-laden core for Season 87. UST is also playing without key cogs Jonna Perdido and Xyza Gula, who suffered season-ending injuries over the offseason.
“Ayun, forda talak lang talaga! Kailangan e, lalo na marami talagang nawawala, kahit ako nawawala! Pero ayun, ‘yun lang, kailangan lang i-remind ko kung ano ‘yung purpose namin sa team and kung ano ‘yung gusto namin ma-achieve,” the fourth-year libero said.
And as shaky as UST’s start is, Pepito believes that these early jitters have given them a sense of direction. “At least alam namin hanggang saan kami at hanggang saan ‘yung kaya namin this season.”
Images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.