Already missing outside spikers Jonna Perdido and Xyza Gula for the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament, University of Santo Tomas suffered another setback as bench hitter Kyla Cordora was also sidelined due to injury.
Cordora, a rookie, sprained her left ankle during the second set of the Golden Tigresses’ four-set victory over the UE Lady Warriors last Saturday.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
With their outside spiker rotation growing thinner, UST relied on the trio of Angge Poyos, Marga Altea, and Maribeth Hilongo to step up in a thrilling five-set win against De La Salle University, 25-12, 22-25, 13-25, 25-23, 15-13, on Wednesday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Poyos delivered a game-high 28 points, tallying 24 attacks, three blocks, and an ace while also contributing 16 excellent digs.
Crucial to the victory were the efforts of starter Altea and her substitute Hilongo in the grueling match that lasted two hours and 31 minutes.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Altea, a 6-foot rookie from the UST High School program, started strong but struggled as the Lady Spikers mounted a comeback in the second and third sets.
This prompted head coach Kungfu Reyes to bring in Hilongo as a substitute.
“Well ano, risk yung ginawa pero again, ‘pag nag-perform edi idire-diretso mo. Ganun lang naman ka-simple,” said UST deputy coach Yani Fernandez on the decision to field the unheralded Hilongo.
“Tinitignan din namin kung ano yung percentage nila sa atake lalo na sa ilalim, so kung nakikita namin na nagsa-struggle na yung isa, siyempre hugot tayo ng pangalawa — pangatlo actually — na outside hitter.”
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Altea’s defensive lapses further justified the decision to bring in Hilongo. The sophomore had previously served as UST’s second libero behind Detdet Pepito in Season 86 when the Tigresses reached the Finals before falling to NU.
Despite her struggles, Altea still managed 10 points, including a crucial dump off a floating ball by La Salle that gave UST a 13-11 lead in the deciding set. Meanwhile, Hilongo contributed five points and six excellent digs.
“Sa game na ‘to, talagang pinakita lang talaga namin kung ano kami. And yung composure namin sa loob ng court, yun talaga yung nagdala, yung communication, yun yung pinakaimportante,” said Poyos, giving full trust to those in the lineup.
She emphasized, “Nawala man kami ng second set pero bumalik lang kami sa sistema and nagtiwala lang kami sa isa’t isa.”
With Cordora’s status still uncertain for UST’s upcoming match against Adamson University on Saturday, Fernandez remains focused on stabilizing the team’s outside spiker rotation against the young and dangerous Lady Falcons.
“Yun yung iwo-workout namin dahil nga sa Saturday may game din kami. Hindi rin basta-basta yung Adamson. Sa training, iche-check namin kung ano yung mas magandang rotation and then yung timpla nga nung team para mas mapadali yung panalo.”
