The UST Golden Tigresses again play the spoiler role, denying the La Salle Lady Spikers a path to an outright UAAP finals berth under the leadership of Collegiate Press Corps Player of the Week Eya Laure
MANILA, Philippines – Time and again, Eya Laure has been UST’s golden Tigress standard in UAAP women’s volleyball, and so far, nothing has changed as Season 85 approaches its last few game dates.
Already holding the distinction for snapping NU’s 20-game winning streak that netted the Lady Bulldogs a historic championship, the Tigresses again played the spoiler role for the once-unbeaten La Salle Lady Spikers, ending their 9-0 season start that included two sweeps of the once-untouchable NU.
Laure was a woman on a mission in that assignment on Sunday, April 2, piling on 29 points, all off attacks. She led the Tigresses’ momentum-boosting win, capped off by a stunning 25-12 fourth-set finisher.
For that herculean effort that succeeded a 17-point outing against the UE Lady Warriors in the same week, Laure earned the fifth Collegiate Press Corps UAAP Player of the Week award presented by San Miguel Corporation and the Philippine Sports Commission from March 29 to April 2.
The UST team captain bested her teammate Detdet Pepito as well as former Player of the Week winner Angel Canino of La Salle for the citation.
FEU’s Chenie Tagaod, NU’s Bella Belen, and Adamson’s Kate Santiago were the other nominees for the plum.
Despite the eye-popping point totals, Laure maintained that her numbers were a by-product of collective effort, which has elevated the Tigresses to a 7-3 record in third place so far this season, just behind Adamson (7-2) and NU (6-3).
“We really need to work as a team to get the win,” she said in Filipino. “That’s really one of my learnings. If last season was exhausting, this time I could walk off the court and still have the energy to greet everyone.”
“It just makes me happy that a lot of us are rising up, we’re all rising as one. That’s the best thing happening this season.”
Laure and the Tigresses will need all the momentum they can get heading into the Holy Week break as they return on April 15 for another important showdown against the reeling Ateneo Blue Eagles. – Rappler.com
