San juan: University of Santo Tomas defeated Letran, 25-16, 22-25, 25-23, 25-17, to achieve its first victory in Pool C of the 2025 Shakey's Super League (SSL) Unity Cup held at Playtime FilOil Centre.
According to Philippines News Agency, Xyza Gula led the Tigresses with 16 points, rebounding from a previous loss to the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons. The game on September 21 ended in a narrow defeat for UST, with set scores of 22-25, 25-18, 19-25, 25-18, 13-15.
Marga Altea, who contributed 12 points through six attacks, four blocks, and two aces, shared insights into the team's preparation. "We started training since our last game. That's what we lacked, the composure, especially in the fifth set. That's what we practiced the whole week. It's coming out little by little," Altea said.
Julia Balingit also added 11 points, while Mary Joe Coronado scored nine points. Denise Bron and Kyla Cordora each contributed six points. Cordora played a crucial role in an 11-1 run, pushing UST to a 23-16 lead in the fourth set. Despite a point from Letran's Leonilyn Padilla, Gula secured the win with two consecutive points.
Altea emphasized the team's focus on maintaining composure. "We just adjusted our composure because our team knows that when we are outplayed, there is a chance that the opponent will catch up. That is our biggest challenge. Like earlier when we tied (in the fourth set), we should be even stronger and more composed," she added.
On the other side, Judiel Nitura led the Lady Knights with 15 points, while Verenicce Colendra and Maquillang contributed nine and seven points, respectively.
