edited dtm
UNIVERSITY of Sto. Tomas is not yet certain if its ace spiker Angge Poyos will see action after suffering a right ankle injury that has jeopardized its championship hopes in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball finals versus National University.
At 11-10 in favor of the Lady Bulldogs in set 2, Poyos landed on the left foot of teammate Em Banagua after a block attempt. Poyos tweaked her right ankle and crumpled to the floor. She was then aided back to the UST bench.
UST eventually lost, 25-23, 25-20, 25-20, in the first game of the title series watched by 20,955 fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The UST super rookie sat out the remainder of the match, her injured foot encased in a walking boot to immobilize certain areas of the injury.
READ: UST Tigresses hold breath as Angge Poyos limps off with ankle injury
UST head coach Kungfu Reyes said Poyos will undergo a series of medical assessments in the next few days. But as of posting time, it remains uncertain whether Poyos will suit up for the Tigresses for Game Two in three days’ time.
“Regarding naman kay Angge (Poyos), I think medyo may maga na pero hindi naman siya sobrang lala like nu’ng kay Eya (Laure) na talagang nag-violet agad pero swollen pa rin,” said Reyes.
“Definitely, maaapektuhan ‘yung performance niya so hopefully makabalik. We’ll do X-rays siguro pagbalik ng UST and we hope and pray na walang fracture or anything na seryoso. Part ng laro na unfortunately, nakaapak ng kasama. Medyo unusual pero nandyan na. Moving forward, kailangan naming mag-step up para sa isang outside hitter (na nawala),” he added.
Deja vu for UST
The incident recalled a nearly identical injury that happened five years ago in their last Finals appearance back in Season 81 involving also a UST super rookie and eventual 2nd Best Outside Hitter in Eya Laure.
In Game Two of UST’s title series versus Ateneo, Laure sprained her left ankle after landing on the right foot of Ateneo’s Kat Tolentino in the opening sequence of Set 3.
Unlike Poyos, Laure found her way back to the floor in the tail-end of the same set. The pain from what was initially ruled as a ‘mild ankle sprain’ proved too much to overcome and Laure was forced to sit out the closing stages of the fourth set.
Ateneo went on to win that game that tied the series at 1-all. Laure would see action in the winner-take-all Game Three but UST fell short as the Blue Eagles won the series, 2-1.
Trying to learn lessons from that episode, Reyes preached the importance of not relying on just one player to carry the scoring load.
“‘Yung bilin namin sa kanila, hindi namin hihingiin sa isang tao ‘yung output ni Angge (Poyos). Kailangan talaga magtulungan. Nandyan pa rin si Xyza (Gula), si Pierre (Abellana), si Reg (Jurado). Depende sa magiging takbo ng ensayo namin, naka-ranking naman sila pero hindi ko lang pwede i-disclose agad kung sino ‘yung tao,” said Reyes.
“May papalit naman na wing spiker pa. Kailangan lang talagang mag-tulungan para manalo. Hindi naman kami nananalo dahil si Angge lang umii-score. Nananalo kami as a group,” he added.
Reyes hopes that the Tigresses will draw inspiration from their injured teammate and put forth the ‘next woman up’ mentality as they try to keep their championship dreams alive.
“Sa part ng mga players, maging inspirasyon pa sana nila si Poyos kasi definitely, gustong-gusto niyang makalaro kasi nga na-experience niya nang mawala ng isang game (nu’ng elimination round), ‘yung nagkasakit siya. Ngayong Finals, ayaw niyang mawala ulit. Nasa finals na tayo eh.
“Kung ma-miss out niya ‘yun, sayang ‘yung experience itself na makalaro sa Finals kaya hopefully, maging motivation sa kanila na mag-step-up, hindi lang sa (isang) tao kundi ‘yung grupo para manalo kami,” Reyes said.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
