UAAP volleyball: Xyza Gula rescues UST Tigresses from near defeat

UAAP volleyball: Xyza Gula rescues UST Tigresses from near defeat

University of Santo Tomas (UST) found its back against the wall after being two sets down and still trailing in the make-or-break third. And coach Kung Fu Reyes knew he needed a spark from the bench.He put his hopes on sophomore hitter Xyza Gula, a roll of the dice considering she would be coming in cold.

The gamble paid off, big.

“I wasn’t thinking about it back then,” Gula told the Inquirer in Filipino when asked if she expected to have a huge impact on the result of the game. “I was just enjoying the game.

“I am always like that and just play for each point. Like what others say, we need to be one-point warriors so we fought for every point.”

SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 86 volleyball first round

UST’s hard fought come-from-behind victory against Far Eastern University on Sunday night at Mall of Asia Arena hiked the Golden Tigresses’ stunning start to the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament to four straight wins.

It was also a follow-up performance after bringing the defending champions La Salle to its knees in another thrilling five-set victory.

That match served as motivation for the 5-foot-4 outside hitter where she committed a service error just as UST was mounting a comeback. And Gula redeemed herself in that win over the Lady Tamaraws after nailing the last four points to cap the marathon match.

“I didn’t want our win in the third and fourth set to be a waste by losing in the fifth set. We really battled this one out,” Gula, who contributed 13 points on 12 attacks and an ace, said. “It was a hard-fought win.”

READ: UST’s ‘discipline, determination’ key to unbeaten start in UAAP volleyball

Ignite the fire

Gula was fielded in lieu of starter Jonna

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