LITTLE BIG TIGRESSES

University of Santo Tomas’ (UST) shorter than usual lineup raised doubts as to how it would match up against taller opponents in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament.

The Tigresses have one of the shortest height averages in the league—and that was not by design.

“We were also looking for taller players, but it so happened that the other teams have already recruited them so we weren’t able to get them,” UST coach Kung Fu Reyes told the Inquirer in Filipino.

Six games into the season, the Tigresses lack of size still hasn’t posed much of a problem. “We may lack height, but this is not basketball [where] if we are being defended [by taller players] we cannot do anything anymore,” Reyes said. “We play on different courts so we can set the pace, tempo of the game.” UST has blitzed its way to a perfect 6-0 (win-loss) standing, knocking down two heavyweight favorites in La Salle and National University, the championship protagonists of the last two editions of the tournament.

The Tigresses’ latest triumph was a 25-22, 25-20, 26-24 beatdown of University of the Philippines (UP) behind the offense of the smaller Tigresses such as rookie Angeline Poyos, rising star Xyza Gula and reliable scorer Regina Jurado.

Poyos fired 22 points, 18 of them from attacks and four aces, Gula with 14 points while Jurado added 12 including an ace. The relatively undersized trio has been compensating UST’s lack in ceiling with high-flying heroics.

Gula, who also had 10 excellent digs and 12 excellent receptions, nailed an efficient 12 attack points out of 21 attempts and two aces.

Floor defense

Only three Tigresses stand at least 6-feet tall: Rookie middle blockers Mary Coronado, Bianca Plaza and Em Banagua.

“We may not be the tallest players in the league, but I used [that] as inspiration to prove that I can step up for my team,” said Banagua.

The lack of height hasn’t UST’s defense that much, although the team had trouble dealing with the Maroons’ attacks early on.“We fell behind with our blocking, but we managed to adjust in every set,’’ said Poyos.

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But that lack of size has given the Tigresses a unique advantage—being closer to the ground means they can cover the floor relentlessly, something that team captain and libero Bernadett Pepito best exemplifies.And this time, Reyes drew inspiration from basketball to explain that edge. “One of our biggest assets is our floor defense because like how the saying goes, ‘good offense comes from good defense,’” he said. Already in their best start since Season 73, the Tigresses can sweep the first round when they test Adamson on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“Our team being not that tall is not a liability, what’s important is the skills and system that we have, most especially what heart we have,” Reyes said. “We will keep fighting, of course.”

Reyes can’t do anything about UST’s size, but at least, the team comes up big where it matters.

“We will find ways to score. What’s important is we will battle it out to get the win because we play on [both] sides, “ he said. “We will focus on what we can control because that’s what we need to do.” INQ