MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses foiled the University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Maroon’s bid for a perfect record.

UST rallied from a set down to defeat UP in 4 sets, 21-25, 25-22, 25-16, 25-20, in the UAAP Season 81 women’s volleyball tournament on Sunday February 24, at the Filoil Flying V Centre. 

Fil-Italian Milena Alessandrini played her best game yet for the Tigresses, unleashing 22 points off 19 attacks and 3 blocks as UST wound up tying UP at 2nd place with 2-1 records. 

“Always ko naman na sinasabi sa kanila na bawi with the best bounce back. Iyon ang ginawa ko para makabalik ako,” said UST star Sisi Rondina.

(I always tell the team to bounce back as best as you can. That’s what I do to get back on track.)

“Kinalma ako nila coach, ng mga teammates, kaya pinagtulungan namin, tinrabaho namin, stick to plan sa mga game namin, kaya nagbunga.”

(The coaches and my teammates calmed me down so we were able to help each other, we worked on it and we stuck to the plan, that’s why everything paid off.)

Tots Carlos emerged as UP’s leading scorer with 20 points. Justine Dorog also tallied 13 points and 19 excellent digs before getting sidelined from hitting the LED board midway through the 3rd set.

The Lady Maroons missed the services of starting setter Ayel Estrañero due to food poisoning. 

After losing the opening frame, the Golden Tigresses found their rhythm in the 2nd set as they escaped the deadlock with captain Janinie Balcorta and Sisi Rondina closing out the frame to even the match. 

UST sustained the momentum as it stretched the third-set lead to as much as 21-8. Tots Carlos sparked a 6-1 UP run, but Eya Laure ended the set in UST’s favor, 25-16. 

By the 4th frame, the Tigresses seemed to have taken the fight out of the Lady Maroons as they controlled the entire set capped by an Alessandrini block. – Rappler.com