Marga Altea and Bianca Plaza delivered the finishing touches as the University of Santo Tomas completed a statement sweep of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde on Sunday. The win sealed UST’s place in the 2026 V-League Collegiate Challenge semifinals.

The Golden Tigresses claimed a 25-23, 25-16, 25-16 victory over the Lady Blazers at Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong City. The result rounded out this year’s semifinalist field.

UST Survives Shaky Start Before Locking In

UST nearly let a big first-set lead slip away before tightening up on defense to pull the match back under control. The Golden Tigresses leaned on that defensive shift as their primary weapon through the second and third frames.

“Happy lang kami and siyempre blessed kasi ‘yung elimination namin, ‘yung start namin talagang up-and-down. Good thing is na-test din namin ‘yung mga players namin na bago.

“Yun kasi yung goal namin, makita namin ‘yung reaction nila, ‘yung performance nila ‘pag nasa game na mismo,” said head coach Shaq Delos Santos. He said the rocky stretch doubled as a real-time evaluation of his newest players under pressure.

Altea, Plaza Anchor UST’s Sweep

Altea paced UST with a match-high 15 points, repeatedly finishing rallies whenever Benilde threatened to close the gap. The rookie spiker tallied 11 attacks, three blocks and one service ace.

She also chipped in four excellent receptions to round out an all-around outing. Plaza, a middle blocker, delivered her own key blows down the stretch as UST closed out the match.

Team captain Reg Jurado backstopped her younger teammate with a double-double of 14 points and 11 digs. Angge Poyos also made an impact on both ends, finishing with eight points, eight digs and five excellent receptions.

With UST’s first goal accomplished, Delos Santos said he wants the team to build on the momentum from its recent stretch of games. He pointed to continued system buy-in as the next step for his squad.

“Siguro, ‘yung ma-adapt ‘yung sistema ng mga coaches. Kasi andoon kami sa point na ganoon eh, ‘yung dapat alam ‘yung gusto naming gawin sa court. Hindi kami dapat nanghuhula, kaya nag-i-invest talaga kami sa training,” the seasoned mentor shared.

For the Lady Blazers, the tournament ended with a 2-5 record. Cam Bartolome tried to keep Benilde within striking distance throughout the match.

Bartolome finished as the Lady Blazers’ lone player in double figures, closing with 13 points. Benilde’s season now ends after falling short of the semifinal round.