The UST Golden Tigresses matched their best start in UAAP women's volleyball after going 6-0 with a 25-22, 25-20, 26-24 sweep of the UP Fighting Maroons in Season 86 at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, March 13.
UST last posted a 6-0 start in Season 73 back in 2011 when Rhea Dimaculangan and Aiza Maizo-Pontillas were leading the way for the Golden Tigresses who finished second to champions De La Salle Lady Spikers.
Interestingly, Dimaculangan and Maizo-Pontillas, both two-time UAAP champs, successful professional club and national team players, were exactly the players that the current Golden Tigresses are drawing inspiration from as they moved on the cusp of a first round sweep.
"I used them as my inspiration and give them respect as I also try to make my name for the team," said rookie Em Banagua who scored seven points against UP. "I need to contribute what I'm capable of and lessen my overthinking."
Poyos and sophomore Regina Jurado, who fired 22 and 12 points, respectively, said that UST can't be complacent even after having banked a solid start to the season, aware that the other teams are going after them especially in the second round.
"We're using this great run as inspiration but at the same time, we can be complacent and satisfied with how we've been performing because it's going to be harder for us come the second round where teams will make adjustments. We will still fight," said Jurado.
"We are using them (Dimaculangan and Maizo-Pontillas) as motivation for this season but we can't relax and let our guard down because there's still a long way to go with the second round coming up," said Poyos.
Meanwhile, UST head coach Kungfu Reyes, whose one of his assistants Shaq Delos Santos steered the Golden Tigresses to that Season 73 start and to a championship run the season before, said that the current tear his team is having stems from the high school girls volleyball program he's built over the years.
"We're not really aware of that best run since this or that but so far for me, this is my best start in the women's volleyball team [since assuming the head coach post in 2015]. We used to start 0-2, 0-3, and end the first round with a 3-4, 4-3 slate but now we're here." shared Reyes.
"The process we've been making since these girls [Jurado, Poyos, and Banagua] we're just first year high school players, and the other batches, their skills have been levelling up."
Reyes added that their high school program bearing fruits now is such a huge morale booster for the Golden Tigresses.
"This is our best start since Season 73 and it's a big morale booster for us because the hardwork our players have been doing is paying dividends. We're not going to stop because the league is far from over," said Reyes.
"We're taking it one game at a time. Of course, we're grateful for the sacrifice of these players who are fighting for us until the very end."
