Tigresses’ heart returns ‘one more year’ as Perdido completes fearsome triumvirate
University of Santo Tomas (UST) will still have its heart in Season 88 of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament, and part of its soul will also be making her return to make sure that the Golden Tigresses have their best foot forward in going all the way next year.
Detdet Pepito didn’t make school fans wait that long—just five days to be exact—to make it official that she is coming back to play one more year and anchor the Santo Tomas defense one final time.
The announcement came at the same time that Jonna Perdido also confirmed returning for “one more year” as a Tigress and completing a three-sided battering ram that Santo Tomas used to finish a close second to powerhouse National University in Season 86.
A future teacher
Pepito’s management, Hustle and Groove, and UST deputy coach Yani Fernandez confirmed the star libero’s decision after the Institute of Physical Education and Athletics director Fr. Rodel Cansancio, OP posted a photo of him with Pepito and Perdido with a caption, “One more year.”
Pepito is set to graduate with a degree in elementary education but has decided to forego the coming Premier Volleyball League Draft to resume her chase for an elusive UAAP crown together with Perdido, who sat out the last season because of a left ACL tear.
“The UAAP is different. It really is, and so is the way UST supports us,” Pepito had told reporters last week after the Tigresses took the door in the Final Four with a four-set loss to archrival La Salle.
Perdido coming back gives coach KungFu Reyes the same attacking triumvirate—along with Angge Poyos and Reg Jurado—that had Santo Tomas coming close to a title.
The Tigresses were hobbled in the title series against the Lady Bulldogs when Poyos, who would go on to be crowned Rookie of the Year, suffered a leg injury in Game 1.
Prime setter Cassie Carballo will again be there to orchestrate the offense for Santo Tomas.
Marga Altea is expected to come of age as a sophomore next season, and Em Banagua has proven to be a steady force, which can cushion the departure of middle blocker Pia Abbu, who will enter the PVL Draft.
“I’m super proud of my teammates and my coaches. We all know how much work we put into this,” Abbu had said after their third-place finish. “The sacrifices were huge. We couldn’t be with our families, we had to stay far from them. We couldn’t leave because we had to train. But despite everything, I’m still really grateful.”
