UST outlasts champs FEU in UAAP women’s volleyball opener

MANILA, Philippines – University of Santo Tomas (UST) needed five sets to beat defending champion Far Eastern University (FEU), 25-21, 16-25, 25-19, 22-25, 15-12, in Saturday’s opening day of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 71 women’s volleyball tournament at the FEU gym. Team captain Aiza Maizo had 23 points including 17 attacks and four blocks for the Tigresses, who drew their inspiration from their last season’s debacle with the Lady Tamaraws where they failed to win a single game against that included the Final Four. Mazo finished the nail-biting match with a block on FEU’s Rachel Daquis to give the win to the new-look Tigresses following the graduation of the power-hitting duo of Mary Jean Balse and Venus Bernal. Bernice Co had 14 points in her rookie debut and Maika Ortiz finished with 10 points for the Cesail delos Santos-mentored UST six. Daquis amassed 23 points including 19 attacks and two aces, Macaila Morada had 19 markers and Cherry Mae Vivas got 15 points in the Lady Tamaraws’ offense. In the first game, University of the East opened the season with a 25-18, 25-21, 27-25 win over National University. Ginaflor Alanguilan had 16 attacks while Mary Cristel Rosale contributed 11 points for the Red Skirts. – GMANews.TV