MANILA, Philippines – University of Santo Tomas rebounded from a second set loss to subdue UP Integrated School, 25-15, 23-25, 25-7, 25-11, and open its quest to regain the girls crown in style at the start of the UAAP Season 78 high school volleyball tournament over the weekend at the Adamson Gym.
With veteran Eya Laure leading the way, the Junior Tigresses dominated the third and fourth set to clinch the win in the league's first event of the season.
UST hopes to reclaim the throne it lost earlier this year after bowing to National University in the Finals.
In other girls results, last season's third placer De La Salle-Zobel outlasted Far Eastern University-Diliman, 25-17, 21-25, 25-21, 24-26, 15-13, while University of the East clipped Adamson University, 25-20, 25-17, 24-26, 25-22.
The Lady Bullpups drew an opening day bye. National University opens its bid for a second straight girls championship against De La Salle-Zobel at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
The Junior Lady Bulldogs will miss the services of Rica Diolan and Jasmine Nabor, who have already moved up to the school's women's volleyball squad under coach Roger Gorayeb, but the Bustillos-based spikers still have reigning MVP Faith Nisperos to lead the campaign.
Meanwhile, Season 77 boys runner-up Ateneo opened its title bid with a 25-14, 25-19, 25-15 conquest of UPIS.
NU downed FEU-Diliman, 27-25, 25-21, 25-20, while UST tripped De La Salle-Zobel, 22-25, 26-24, 25-13, 25-23, to cap a heavy six-game bill.
The Junior Warriors, bidding for a record 12th consecutive crown, also drew a bye in opening day. UE opens its campaign against NU at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.