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UST Tigresses’ libero and team captain Detdet Pepito in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — University of Santo Tomas team captain Detdet Pepito is proud to see her undersized squad continue to prove its doubters wrong with its unexpected run in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament.
UST clinched the first Final Four berth of the season — its fourth straight post-elimination appearance — after beating Adamson, 22-25. 25-20, 26-24, 25-20 on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.
Playing their first season without former star Eya Laure, Pepito admitted that winning nine of their 10 matches has been unexpected, but she knows it’s the result of their hard work and dedication to counter their height disadvantage.
READ: UAAP volleyball: UST Tigresses counter height with heart in taking down La Salle
“Masaya kasi nga maraming nagsasabi before na talagang Mini Miss UST kami tapos may nababasa pa kami na parang kakarnehin daw kami. Pero happy kami, kasi gusto naming i-prove na wala po sa height, nasa puso po yun,” said Pepito, who had 21 digs and 17 excellent receptions in their return from a 10-day Holy Week break.
The third-year libero added that being a young team, led by super rookie Angge Poyos, was a key to their impressive run, too.
“Parang mas maraming fresh legs kumbaga. Fresh sila sa system at na-adapt nila agad. Yun yung sa tingin kong unique this season,” she said.
READ: Behind UST’s unbeaten start in UAAP volleyball: The ‘fantastic’ coaching staff
UST coach KungFu Reyes also believes they are reaping the best from their high school program which Pepito, Poyos, Reg Jurado, and most of the current Tigresses were part of.
“Yung grassroots program, nag-dedevelop talaga kami ng mga players. Nagkakataon na nag-aabot na ‘yung mga piyesa namin. Kasi nung lumabas si Eya, pinaka-bata na sina Regina na so itong mga ‘to, nag-aabot na. Si Detdet (Pepito) na ‘yung pinaka-senior which is third year,” said Reyes.
UST Tigresses in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
“Ito ‘yung talagang program ni UST itself, ‘yun talaga ‘yung nagdadala. Same people kasi na ‘yung nasa high school, nandun sa college. So talagang proseso, mahabang proseso talaga ‘yung ginagawa. At least kahit papaano, nagbubunga ‘yung mga pinaghirapan namin.”
After clinching the first Final Four ticket, the job is not done for the Tigresses as they seek to finish strong and clinch one of the two twice-to-beat advantages with four games remaining.
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“We’ll just keep grinding. Polish ulit kami ng mga skills namin, mag-reregroup, i-cocorrect ‘yung mga na-commit naming unforced errors. Mas i-sharpen pa namin ‘yung skills namin,” the UST coach said.
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