Santo Tomas belles keep volley diadem

MANILA, Philippines - University of Santo Tomas got the girls’ volleyball crown back to España and stayed in the hunt in softball in UAAP Season 76 action yesterday.

With Ennajie Laure leading the attack, UST defeated National University, 25-16, 22-25, 25-22, 25-22, to end a four-year wait for the girls volleyball championship it won last in the 2009-10 season behind now college stars Alyssa Valdez and Kim Fajardo.

UST won the tightly contested best-of-three series, 2-1, for its sixth crown overall. It is now the second winningest in the league behind La Salle-Zobel’s nine.

The Junior Tigresses escaped with a 28-26, 25-17, 18-25, 20-25, 15-13 win in Game 2 last Wednesday to level the best-of-three series to one game apiece. The Lady Bullpups won the opener, 19-25, 22-25, 27-25, 25-20, 16-14.

Laure, daughter of former basketball pro Eddie Laure, was superb in offense and showed leadership on the floor in her final game for the Junior Tigresses to win the Most Valuable Player honors. She also bagged the Best Attacker award, while her young sister Ejiya, who was also impressive in orchestrating plays, took home the Best Setter plum.       

UST frontliner Pauline Gaston, another daughter of a former cage pro, Fritz Gaston, bagged the Best Blocker trophy.