HISTORY has repeated itself for UST.
University of Sto. Tomas ended La Salle’s championship reign, 25-20, 16-25, 25-20, 19-25, 15-7, in front of a 19,505-strong crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday to reach the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament finals.
READ: UAAP Finals without La Salle or Ateneo is rare; Finals without RDJ quite odd
Angge Poyos erupted for 28 points built on 25 attacks, two aces and one block as the Tigresses booked their first Finals trip since Season 81 where, ironically, they also ousted then-defending champions Lady Spikers from the Final Four on this same day and venue five years ago.
"Ito ulit kami. Nandito na naman kami at pumasok ulit sa finals. It’s an honor na nakalaban ulit namin La Salle. Gaya nu'ng sinabi ko last game namin, hindi mo pwedeng biruin o ipag-kibit-balikat si La Salle. Hirap na hirap kami sa totoo lang pero sa Awa ng Diyos, nakuha ‘yung panalo," said UST head coach Kungfu Reyes, who'll be making his second Finals appearance in his nine-year tenure.
"'Yung 2019 (na tinalo namin La Salle sa Final Four), sabi nga 'history repeats itself' pero this time, babaguhin namin 'yung result. Pipilitin namin 'yan. Kaya 'yung sinasabi na 'yung hardwork, 'yung tsina-tsambahan namin 'yung mga laro namin, pipilitin ulit naming maka-tsamba pagkapasok ng Finals," he added.
The two-hour, 52-minute contest saw a tug-of-war that went the distance, one which saw a 5-0 run from 3-all lead UST's getaway charge to the championship round through late-game heroics from Jonna Perdido (18 points and 12 receptions), sharp playmaking from Cassie Carballo (18 excellent sets) and team captain Detdet Pepito (18 digs and 16 receptions).
Shevana Laput's 20 markers paced a crushing loss for the defending champions as outgoing senior Thea Gagate's six-block outing (16 points) and reigning MVP Angel Canino's 14-piece couldn't save the Lady Spikers' title-retention bid for at least one more match.
For only the fifth time in 27 years since multi-titled mentor Ramil de Jesus took the reins for the Lady Spikers, the Finals will not feature La Salle — one that last happened back in Season 81 when UST fell short in a winner-take-all Game Three to Ateneo.
UST now sets its sights on a 17th league championship to end a 14-year championship drought — one that the Tigresses last won back in Season 72 (2010), also against La Salle.
However, Poyos & Co. will have to wait three more days before knowing their Finals opponent by the end of Wednesday’s rubber match between top-seed National University and fourth-seed Far Eastern University.
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