UST Tigresses’ Ange Poyos during a UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament game.
PHOTO: UAAP
MANILA, Philippines —With her sophomore year posing a bigger challenge, University of Santo Tomas star Angge Poyos remains patient in guiding her younger teammates in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament.
The Tigresses lost outside hitters Jonna Perdido and Xyza Gula to injuries, leaving Poyos with the bulk of the responsibility for this season.
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She showed maturity beyond years in her first year last Season 86 and led the Tigresses to the finals before getting swept by the National University Lady Bulldogs.
This season, the 21-year-old spiker stressed the importance of teamwork to fill in the big void, needing to help Kyla Cordora and rookie Marga Altea, who was converted from middle to outside spiker after the season-ending injuries of Perdido and Gula.
“Sobrang laki ng role na dapat punan sa posisyon ni Ate Xyza at Ate Jonna kasi sobrang laking tulong rin nila noong last season. So, sa part namin kailangan namin magstep up, hindi lang ako, mapa-rookie man o mapa-senior, need magstep up, Poyos told Inquirer Sports.
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“For sure, kaya naman namin. Basta gumalaw lang kami ng maayos. and sumunod lang ng sistema ng team.”
Adding another blow to UST was Cordora’s left ankle sprain, but Altea stepped up with 10 points including three blocks to stave off the gritty University of the East, 26-28, 25-22, 25-23, 25-15, and improve to a 1-1 record on Saturday at FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
Poyos poured in 21 points off 14 kills, four blocks, and three aces to backstop Reg Jurado’s 22 points and bounce back from a tough four-set loss to Far Eastern University last week.
The sophomore star vows to continue guiding their young guns as she hopes to bring back the team to the finals.
“Iuuplift ko lang sila. And sabihan lang sila ng kung nawawala man sila, i-guide man sila sa loob o labas na yung pinaka-importante,” she said.
“One game at a time lang muna. Tapos kung papalarin, makapasok sa final four. and sana, makapasok uilit sa finals.”
With still a lot to work on, UST and Photos brace for a huge challenge against La Salle, which they eliminated in the Final Four last year, in their match on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.
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“Pinaghahandaan din naman kami ng La Salle. Kami din, sa part namin, maghahanda din kami for them,” Poyos said. “Yung mga lapses namin noong game namin sa FEU and dito sa game today. May two days pa kami para mag-prepare. And for sure naman, prepared naman kami pag kalaban na yung La Salle.”