by Kristel Satumbaga
For the De La Salle Lady Spikers, it was the wrong time to run out of ammunition just when they had the San Tomas U Tigresses cornered.
UST checked a monumental meltdown Sunday against the three-time defending champions, 25-19, 25-19, 20-25, 23-25, 15-10, ousting La Salle and advancing to the UAAP women's volleyball finals at the Mall of Asia Arena.
UST Tigresses celebrate during their UAAP Volleyball match against La Salle at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay. (MB photo | Rio Leonelle Deluvio)
Enjoying a twice-to-beat semifinal privilege, the second-seeded Tigresses found no need to exercise the option even if they squandered a two-set lead before digging deep in booking their first championship appearance since 2011.
UST halted La Salle's string of 10 straight finals and now awaits the winner of the semis pairing between last year’s bridesmaid Far Eastern University and fancied Ateneo.
Rookie Eya Laure exploded for a career-high 25 points including back-to-back off-the-block spikes that sealed the win for the Tigresses while graduating Sisi Rondina finished with 17 points highlighted by 14 kills and two blocks.
Rondina thanked her teammates for covering her back, admitting that she was inconsistent in the match.
“I love these girls. Nawala ako kanina pero na-guide nila ako para mabalik yung kumpiyansa ko,” said Rondina.
“Whatever it takes! Talagang yun ang mantra namin. We got each other’s backs,” said Laure.
Inspired by a morale-boosting 25-14, 25-23, 23-25, 25-19 triumph over the Lady Spikers earlier that gave them the No. 2 seeding, the Tigresses came off the block in a rush, racing to claim the first two sets before lapsing into 26 errors to lose the third and fourth frames.
Aduke Ogunsanya (left) and Des Clemente of DLSU get emotional losing to the UST Tigresses in the UAAP Volleyball Semis at Mall of Asia Arena. (MB photo | Rio Leonelle Deluvio)
On the brink of another disastrous collapse that has been their weakness this season, the Tigresses hung on ferociously this time, closing out decisively from 11-10.