Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 8) — The University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses are back in the Final Four.
UST locked in the third seed after beating the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs, 20-25, 19-25, 25-22, 25-21, 15-12, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 79 elimination game on Saturday afternoon at the Big Dome.
Team captain Sisi Rondina and EJ Laure paced UST with 22 points apiece.
NU looked like a team on a mission, after beating back UST with relative ease in the opening frames.
But the Tigresses finally rose to the occasion in the third set, by holding off the Jaja Santiago-led squad, 25-22.
A tightly-contested fourth frame saw the two teams tied up at 21-all. But the Golden Tigresses kept their nerve as they watched the Lady Bulldogs commit four straight errors to gift them a fifth and deciding set.
In the final frame, there was no denying the España-based squad.
Despite Laure nursing an injury, and NU closing the gap at 13-12, the Golden Tigresses mounted a final push that gave them the crucial victory.
This will be UST’s first appearance in the Final Four since Season 74.
Santiago led all scorers with 30 points in her team’s loss.
After the game, UST head coach Kung Fu Reyes hailed his team’s performance and claimed that they were aiming to go beyond the Final Four stage.
“Masasabi ko na Final Four material na yung mga bata namin,” Reyes said. “Next step naman kami, hindi kami mag se-settle sa Final Four.”
[Translation: I can say that our kids are Final Four material. We’re moving on to the next step, we won’t just settle with being in the Final Four.]
The Golden Tigresses will face off against the second seeded De La Salle University Lady Archers in the Final Four.
