MANILA – Defending champion National University-Nazareth School (NUNS) Lady Bullpups needed grit and composure to fend off the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Junior Golden Tigresses, 22-25, 32-30, 25-21, 25-21, in the UAAP Season 88 High School Girls’ Volleyball opener at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
After dropping the first set and staring at multiple set points in the second, the Lady Bullpups leaned on Negrense star Diza Berayo and a timely block from Ysabella Cruz to wrest momentum away from UST. Akeyla Bartolabac capped the marathon frame with a kill that turned the tide for NU.
In the fourth set, NU raced to a 9-3 cushion only to see UST storm back with seven straight points for a brief 10-9 lead. Berayo, however, refused to let the Tigresses extend the match, delivering the final two blows—including the match-clinching kill.
“Nakakatuwa kasi everybody nag-step-up, tsaka ‘yung composure naman nila kahit na-da-down kami [o] nagkakamali sila, nandun,” said NUNS head coach Karl Dimaculangan.
“Nire-remind lang talaga namin sila na hindi nila maiiwasan ‘yung pressure. And ‘yung kabahan sila diyan, laging nandiyan pero [nasa kanila na] kung paano nila iha-handle,” he added.
Berayo finished with 24 points built on 21 attacks and two aces, plus eight digs. Bartolabac backed her up with 17 points, while Micaella Gould orchestrated the offense with 14 excellent sets.
UST fought behind Nicole Pelaez’s 19 markers and Negrense Kimberly Rubin’s 12, while libero Chasliey Pepito kept them afloat on defense with 21 digs.
In other results, Adamson University Lady Baby Falcons overpowered Far Eastern University-Diliman Lady Baby Tamaraws, 25-20, 25-18, 25-16, behind Ellaine Gonzalvo’s 18 points. University of the Philippines Integrated School returned with a 25-23, 25-11, 25-16 sweep of University of the East, while De La Salle Zobel rolled past Ateneo de Manila University, 25-16, 25-14, 25-20./PN
