Joyce Paño delivered the killer blows again, including three crisp spikes late in the fourth set that clinched the victory for the Tigresses, their fifth straight to remain on top of the heap.
"Before the game sabi ko ayokong patagalin pa ang laban, lugi kasi kami sa stamina dahil karamihan sa players ko ay galing sa sakit," said UST coach August Sta. Maria.
"Buti na lang sinuwerte pa kami nung bandang huli," added Sta. Maria, who is also backed up by the country’s Korean national team coach Song Yong Hok.
Pouncing on Lyceum’s erratic game, the Tigresses easily took the first set but got a big surprise in the second as the Lady Pirates bounced back to level the count at one set apiece.
Packing her spikes with power, Maria Angelica Bigcas terrorized the net with her solid kills as Lyceum roared to a 8-2 third set lead, but the Lady Pirates failed to sustain that momentum and struggled, enabling the Tigresses to close in at 19-20 before Paño teamed up with Mary Jean Balse to seize the last six points and the set for UST and a 2-1 lead.
Bigcas, who is still recovering from a right rotator cuff injury, however, struck back as she pumped in a barrage of smashes that saw the Intramuros-based belles storm to three-point leads thrice, the last at 11-8.
But Paño took charge for UST as she came through with power spikes, shoving the Tigresses to a 19-17 lead before Bigcas kept Lyceum alive with her own net incursions that gave the latter a 22-21 upperhand.
That proved to be the Lady Pirates’ last show of force as Paño came to the Tigresses’ rescue again with three of the latter’s last four points coming off her hits.
"Sayang kontrolado na namin yung game kaya lang bumigay kami din kami nung huli," explained an exasperated Lyceum mentor Emil Lontoc.
It was Lyceum’s fourth loss against a win.