The set-scores ended at 25-17, 25-16, and 25-20 with season Most Valuable Player (MVP) Sisi Rondina playing her best game as a senior at 23 points off 20 attacks, two blocks, and one ace. She also had 12 digs and five excellent receptions. Rookie of the Year Eya Laure contributed 11 points and nine attacks, while Caitlyn Viray and Ysa Jimenez scored seven and six points respectively. Setter Alina Bicar had 19 excellent sets with six points. For Ateneo, Filipino-Canadian Kat Tolentino was the lone double-digit scorer at 12 points, while teammates Maddie Madayag, Jules Samonte, and Bea De Leon added six, six, and four respectively.
When talking about graduating senior Rondina’s performance for the first championship game, UST head coach Kungfu Reyes shared in Filipino, “The burden that Sisi feels… We kind of have to push her to her limit and that’s what we do to her. We don’t need to squeeze it out of her because there are people that help so she can play her game.” He added, “This win is a good morale boost for the kids. As they say in history, it’s been a while since we’ve had a title but I don’t think about that too much because as we say, we’re players of the present. This will work out if we work hard for it.”
If the Lady Tigresses take home the championship trophy during Game Two of the finals, to be played at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, May 15, they will be ending a nine-year title drought.