By MARK REY MONTEJO
University of Santo Tomas suffered a heart-breaking five-set defeat to reigning titlist National University in the UAAP Women’s Volleyball on Tuesday, but the Golden Tigresses took it positively.
Accepting their 23-25, 25-17, 19-25, 25-18, 15-9 loss graciously, the Golden Tigresses intend to turn their mistakes – no matter how difficult to accept them – into lessons, and hopefully their own weapon when they seek vengeance in the second round.
“Lesson learned again sa side namin, na iche-check ulit yung rotation at diskartehan sa mga susunod na ensayo,” UST assistant coach Yani Fernandez said.
Against the defending champions, UST started strong by seizing a 2-1 set lead, but it ran out of gas after NU, headed by veteran duo Alyssa Solomon and Bella Belen, found ways to regroup and neutralize the Tigresses’ top spikers Angge Poyos and Regina Jurado.
“The first and the third set are all good. Yun talaga yung inensayo namin saka inaral namin,” said Fernandez.
“Pero yung two, four and five — especially sa fifth set — ayun yung sinasabi namin na hindi pwedeng ganun ulit sa mga susunod na matches namin,” she added.
In that pivotal fifth frame, the Tigresses only scored nine points — four coming from Jurado and five courtesy of NU’s errors.
“Hindi namin na-maximize yung mga spikers namin… credit kay NU ganda ng tactical serve nila,” said Fernandez.
The defeat served as an eye-opener for UST as it aims to adjust for the remaining seven matches.
“Marami pang (kailangang) i-polish lalo na sa in-game adjustment ng NU, yun yung hindi namin nakuha kaagad,” said setter Cassie Carballo, who finished with 27 excellent sets on top of 10 points.
“Unexpected na ganito yung magiging record namin kahit na medyo pangit yung pinakita namin nun first game. Naging Maganda naman, and naging sukatan yung first round kung hanggang saan yung kaya pa namin,” said UST libero and skipper Detdet Pepito.
UST opens the second round with a game against Far Eastern University on Sunday, March 23, at Mall of Asia Arena.
