UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas humbled Mapua University yesterday 25-18, 25-17, 25-20 for its second straight win in Pool B of the 2024 Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-Season Championship at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Except for a little challenge to close out the third set, the Golden Tigresses dominated the match to stay unbeaten and keep hold of second behind pool leader University of the East (3-0).
Kyla Cordora led UST’s balanced scoring in the 83-minute clash with nine points, all from kills, including the match-clinching hammer to halt the Lady Cardinals’ late rally.
“Nag-enjoy lang kami sa game. Naglaro kami na relax nu’ng first set, we just played our game and dinahan-dahan lang namin,” Cordora said.
Xyza Gula had eight points and Margaret Altea had seven. Jona Perdido and Regina Jurado added six each in the Tigresses’ strong follow-up to a 4-set decision over Lyceum of the Philippines University last Saturday in their debut outing in the tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, GCash, Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, R and B Milk Tea and Summit Water.
Bianca Plaza pushed UST at match point 24-17 in the third set on a quick attack but Mapua refused to go down without a fight as it answered with three straight points before Cordora closed it out.
UST will try to make it three in a row on Friday against University of Perpetual Help System Dalta at 6 p.m. before the much-anticipated showdown against UAAP rival UE on Oct. 13.
The Lady Cardinals, led by Alyanna Ong who had eight points, remained winless in three starts.
University of the Philippines rallied from a set down to ground Letran 17-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-23 last Saturday for its first win in Pool C of the competition which has Smart Sports, PLDT Fibr, Mikasa, Asics, Rebel Sports, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and SM Tickets as technical partners.
Also facing off on Friday are defending champion National University and Emilio Aguinaldo College at 1 p.m. in Pool A while La Salle battles Letran at 3:30.
