HOME rarely feels this real in the UAAP.
On Saturday, University of Santo Tomas made the most of a rare chance to play on its own training ground, sweeping University of the East in both the men’s and women’s divisions at the Quadricentennial Pavilion.
The Golden Spikers opened the twin bill with a 25-18, 25-22, 25-22 win before the Golden Tigresses followed with a dominant 25-11, 25-14, 25-14 rout just hours later.
READ: Perdido puts on fiery form as UST powers through outgunned UE
In only the second UAAP women’s volleyball game day ever held at QPav, UST’s homegrown standouts Jonna Perdido and Avril Bron relished the moment.
“Masaya na may isang game po kami na dito ‘yung court na naipakita namin kung sino kami,” said Perdido, who scored 10 points.
“Grateful lang po kasi nabibigyan kami ng opportunity na maglaro sa QPav,” added rookie Bron after an eight-point outing.
Tigers' den
Beyond the crowd support, the comfort of playing on familiar hardwood proved invaluable.
“Mas nailalabas namin kung ano ‘yung mga napagte-training-an namin kasi mas comfy at mas less ‘yung iniisip namin,” Bron said.
“Tinake advantage po namin itong home court at nilaro namin ‘yung kung paano kami maglaro as a team. ‘Yun naman ‘yung naging important kasi nanalo kami at ‘yun ‘yung goal,” Perdido added.
For his part, Golden Tigresses head coach Shaq delos Santos, himself a Thomasian through and through, welcomed the home setting as the backdrop of their resurgence from an 0-2 start to a 2-2 slate.
“Kung paano kami nagtrabaho ngayon, even ‘yung players na ginagawa ‘yung best para makuha ‘yung tamang timpla, naging inspirasyon at hugot namin ‘yung first two games namin,” he said.
On familiar ground, UST found not just comfort, but much-needed momentum.
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