UAAP women’s volleyball: UST stuns NU in 5-set classic

UST handed NU its first loss in four years. UAAP Season 85 Media Team

By Stewart Tan

MANILA—The University of Santo Tomas pulled off the improbable as it defeated National University, 25-23, 27-25, 17-25, 22-25, 15-11, in the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball on Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Eya Laure scored the winning point for the Golden Tigresses as she foiled an attack by the Lady Bulldogs, which threatened to within 11-14 after being down 8-14 late in the fifth frame.

Rookie Regina Jurado was hailed as the Player of the Game as she tallied 18 markers for the Golden Tigresses, which tied their victims at second place in the standings with a 2-1 win-loss slate.

The Golden Tigresses pulled off close wins in the first two sets to move closer to an upset but the Lady Bulldogs showed their poise by building early leads in the third and fourth frames to force a deciding fifth set.

The Golden Tigresses trailed 2-4 to start the fifth set behind early hits by Lady Bulldogs’ Mhicaela Belen and Alyssa Solomon but UST managed to tie the score at 5-all before taking an 8-6 edge behind Jurado and Milena Alessandrini.

Multiple miscues by the Lady Bulldogs followed by conversions from Jurado and fellow newbie Xyza Gula gave the Golden Tigresses a 12-7 edge before Alessandrini and Laure scored back-to-back to reach the match point at 14-8.

The defeat ended the Lady Bulldogs’ 20-game winning streak dating back to UAAP Season 82. NU swept the entire Season 84 last year to capture the championship.

This was also the Lady Bulldogs' first defeat since April 27, 2019, when they were defeated by the Golden Tigresses, 27-25, 25-17, 20-25, 25-16.

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