With the University of Santo Tomas’ five-set escape of De La Salle University in the Final Four of the UAAP Season 86 Women’s Volleyball Tournament, history repeated itself on Sunday evening.
The second-seeded Golden Tigresses’ 25-20, 16-25, 25-20, 19-25, 15-7 victory that dethroned the third-ranked Lady Spikers mirrored a triumph just like this exactly five years ago.
On May 5, 2019, UST ended La Salle’s four-peat aspirations with a 25-19, 25-19, 20-25, 23-25, 15-10 win, also at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Head coach Kungfu Reyes was glad that what happened five years ago happened again today but this time, he hopes to flip the script in the Finals.
“Yung 2019 sabi nga history repeats itself pero this time, babaguhin namin yung result,” said Reyes.
“Pipilitin namin na sabay-sabay kami ng mga bata na ito gaya ng sinasabi namin na yung hard work, na chinachambahan namin yung mga laro namin, pipilitin ulit namin na makachamba pagpasok ng Finals,” continued the long-time mentor of the Golden Tigresses.
(C) Nicks Hernandez/UAAP Season 86 Media Team
Back in Season 81 (2019), although UST managed to end a seven-season Finals drought, it failed to finish the story.
The Golden Tigresses bowed to the Ateneo Lady Eagles in three games in the championship series, wasting a Game 1 win.
It’s now a waiting game for UST on who will it face in the Finals as fourth-seeded Far Eastern University was able to force a decider against top-ranked National University last Saturday. Their rubber match is set on Wednesday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Regardless of who will be their opponent be, Reyes vows one thing and that is the Golden Tigresses will be the hardest-working team.
“Nakaready naman kami kahit sino yung makakalaban namin pero yun nga yung dalawang laro na yan gaya ng sinabi namin nung last game ng elimination, nandito na kami isasagad na namin ngayon ibubuhos na namin kung anong natitira pa namin na naitatago namin na hard work,” said Reyes.
“Yun lang talaga, talagang tinatrabaho namin araw-araw kung anong nakikita niyo diyan sa laro, araw-araw namin ginagawa na yan more on repetitions.”
