By ADRIAN STEWART CO

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) Junior Golden Tigresses displayed their strong heart and stronger determination in outworking the Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts, 16-25, 26-24, 19-25, 28-26, 15-10, to clinch the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League Rising Stars Cup Division 1 title at the La Salle Green Hills Gym.

Banking on sweet-hitting wingers Negrense Kimberly Rubin and Nicole Pelaez, the Junior Golden Tigresses completed a seven-game sweep of the week-long competition.

In a battle of nerves in the fifth set, the Thunderbolts blinked first as the focused UST side unleashed a decisive 8-2 run that turned a 5-5 deadlock into a comfortable 13-7 advantage.

Rhose Almedralejo tried to will Bacolod Tay Tung’s back to stop the Thunderbolts’ bleeding.

The Junior Tigresses reached match point after Almendralejo sent her serve short, 14-8.

Bacolod Tay Tung saved two match points before Nicole Mendoza shut the door on Jhaennine Mayang for the championship-clinching kill block.

Pelaez fired 24 points on 20 kills and four kill blocks while Negrense Rubin scored 22 of her 23 points on kills for UST, which reached the finals for the first time in four years.

Mendoza and Eliz Menchavez added 10 markers each for the Junior Tigresses, which reached the finals after dethroning National University Nazareth School (NUNS) Lady Bullpups.

The Thunderbolts ended as runner-up for the third straight time despite the 26-point effort of Almendralejo.

Mayang added 17 points while Faith Banguia had 12 in a losing effort.

Almendralejo was named Best Outside Hitter, Jhayna Bulandres of NUNS got the Best Opposite Spiker award while Medoza took the Best Middle Blocker recognition.

Bacolod Tay Tung’s Luchi Viviero was Best Libero while UST’s Andreaj Tan Chun Bing bagged Best Setter.

Meanwhile, NUNS-B Lady Bullpups was crowned Division 2 champion after overcoming a hard-fighting University of Batangas High School, 33-31, 25-17, 25-23, in the one-game finals./ASC, WDJ