UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas is on the board in UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball, but not without a fight from new-look University of the East.
The Golden Tigresses vented their ire on the Lady Warriors with a 28-26, 22-25, 25-23, 25-15 victory on Saturday at San Juan's Filoil EcoOil Centre after dropping their season-opener to Far Eastern University in four sets last week.
Junior winger Reg Jurado and reigning Rookie of the Year Angge Poyos combined for 43 points, backed by a solid showing from rookie winger Marga Altea with 10 off the bench.
Injury bug keeps biting UST
Dampening the win, however, was yet another injury scare for the black-and-gold, as rookie spiker Kyla Cordora tweaked her left ankle after an awkward fall from a spike attempt late in Set 2.
Already the replacement for Jonna Perdido, she did not return to the match after being taken off the court.
Cordora becomes the third UST spiker to be struck by injury - and the first among rookies.
Pending her return, five of the 13-woman Golden Tigresses are first-years. That is a situation they'll have to manage in a bid for back-to-back finals appearances.
"Kailangan talaga nilang (rookies) i-adapt 'yung UAAP kasi maayos sa training, magaling sa training, magaling sa training camp, pero iba kasi 'yung usapan pagdating talaga ng may crowd, may officials na referees, 'yung pressure nandiyan na," said deputy coach Yani Fernandez.
"Ssinasabi namin sa kanila na yakapin lang nila 'yung pressure. May mga rookies din kami na talaga na kapalit ng mga na-injure na players namin. Kailangan na lang nila tanggapin yung pressure kasi lahat naman 'yan nadadaanan na, nag-training camp kami, naituro na sa kanila."
Two promising performances for the Lady Warriors to begin Season 87 both fell flat in the endgame, with Khy Cepada’s 20 markers pacing their second straight defeat.
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