By NIKOLE JAVIER
Rookie sensation Angge Poyos helped power University of Santo Tomas to a five-set thriller after it dethroned defending champion La Salle, 25-20, 16-25, 25-20, 19-25, 15-7, in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball Final Four on Sunday night, May 5, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
In front of 19,505 sea of yellow and green, the España-based squad took all its chances and turned it into a potential UAAP crown, a first after a long dry spell.
The Golden Tigresses will be making their first finals appearance in five years as they await the winner between top-seeded National University and Far Eastern University as they both resume their quest for gold in a do-or-die semifinal clash on Wednesday, May 8.
Exactly five years ago on May 5, 2019, UST defeated La Salle in their Final Four showdown to secure its finals seat.
All that was possible five years later as outside hitter Poyos scattered a game-high 28 points on 25 kills, one block and two service aces to help UST beat La Salle for the third time this season.
Jonna Perdido contributed 18 highlighted by 16 attacks as she continued her stellar showing against La Salle.
In as many encounters, La Salle just couldn’t solve the UST puzzle as it continued to be left with a bitter taste to its mouth all season long.
With the game back to square one as the sets were locked at 2-2, the Lady Spikers crumbled under pressure and trailed by as many as 5-11 in the fifth and final set.
From then on, everything just simply fell into place for the UST side as it cruised to the victory.
Reigning Most Valuable Player Angel Canino, who was back for her second game with La Salle after five absences due to a right arm injury, finished with 16 points in the losing cause.
Sans Canino and with her in the rotation, Shevana Laput paced La Salle for the last time this season with a team-high 20 points highlighted by 18 sharp attacks, while middle blocker Thea Gagate had 16 markers highlighted by six kill blocks.
