HEAD COACH: Kungfu Reyes (10th year)
LAST SEASON: 12-2 (Lost to NU in finals)
HOLDOVERS: Detdet Pepito (captain), Angge Poyos, Cassie Carballo, Reg Jurado, Em Banagua, Bianca Plaza, Pia Abbu, Maribeth Hilongo
SUBTRACTIONS: Pierre Abellana, Renee Peñafiel, Karylle Caasi, MJ Coronado, Jonna Perdido (injury), Xyza Gula (injury)
ADDITIONS: Marga Altea, Sandrine Escober, Ashlee Knop, Blessing Unekwe, Arlene Waje
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FROM the highs of a breakthrough finals appearance last year, University of Santo Tomas was already dealt a pair of huge blows before the new UAAP season even started.
The Golden Tigresses lost two of their key wingers in Jonna Perdido (ACL tear) and Xyza Gula (displaced tailbone fracture) amid the team’s busy offseason run.
READ: UST Tigresses winger Xyza Gula ruled out of coming UAAP season
It leaves the España side two aces down - both of whom were instrumental to a historic Season 86 campaign that just fell ever-so short of crossing the finish line in the championship series to National U.
READ: UST star Jonna Perdido out for UAAP season due to ACL injury
Perdido and Gula, among many others, had their shining moments in UST’s 8-0 start last season. It was a dream run that ended up being the school’s best-ever start to a UAAP women’s volleyball tournament.
The black-and-gold eventually ended prelims play as the second-seed with a 12-2 record after a pair of defeats to title tormentor NU and Far Eastern University in Round 2.
While it managed to overcome then-defending champion La Salle in the Final Four with a twice-to-beat bonus on hand, an injury scare to Rookie of the Year and leading scorer Angge Poyos dampened the Golden Tigresses’ title hopes in the best-of-three series.
UST can definitely keep its head held high after bringing home a silver medal in both men’s and women’s competitions last season.
It only goes to show that sky’s still the limit for what the school's proud volleyball program can be following podium-caliber foundation both teams set last year.
Golden Tigresses' intact core
Having the league’s two best non-scoring aces in Season 86 best libero-slash-captain Detdet Pepito and best setter Cassie Carballo already makes the Golden Tigresses a fearsome unit off the bat.
Now an incoming sophomore, a wiser and stronger Poyos returns for personal and team redemption after being held back by a hurt right ankle in last year’s finals to take over the offense along with mainstay winger Reg Jurado.
Do expect the likes of 6-foot super rookie Marga Altea, a decorated middle blocker-turned-spiker, to bolster UST's offense AND defense altogether.
With a preseason bronze medal in the V-League Collegiate Challenge last year on top of weeks of training in Japan, there won’t be any signs of slowing down for Kungfu Reyes' wards who’ll have claws sharper than ever to fulfill the school’s longtime hope of bringing the crown back to España.
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