MANILA — The UST Golden Tigresses are now officially in the Final Four of the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament.

This, after they beat the UP Fighting Maroons in four sets on Wednesday, and they did this without young stars Angge Poyos and Em Banagua.

READ: Perdido shines as shorthanded Tigresses escape UP in 4 sets

Poyos is recovering from dehydration, while Banagua is dealing with a knee strain.

"Ano lang, binigay namin yung mas mahalaga para sa kanya, which is yung maka-recover muna. Medyo under the weather, pero nag-ensayo siya. Supposedly kagabi magte-train ulit pero medyo dizzy pa yung bata," said Reyes about Poyos.

"More on strengthening lang, hindi naman [serious]. Hindi ko alam yung exact term, pero may strain sa tuhood. Malapit na rin siya," he added of Banagua.

"Naitawid naman namin yung game na to para sa kanila ni Poyos at Em. Nothing serious about kay Poyos. Talagang binigay lang namin yung tamang pahinga para makapag-recover talaga," he continued.  

Stepping up for UST was Jonna Perdido who tied her career best of 24 markers, while Reg Jurado also produced the same number of points. This, according to Reyes, was a matter of his team filling in the holes that their absent players have left. 

"I think yung added responsibility, yun yung sinasabi namin na ine-embrace kasi nila," he said. 

"Ahead of time, medyo alam namin na yung recovery period ni Angge is hindi aabot. I think individually, nakikita naman nila kasi nga for the past two training sessions namin, di na namin nakikita si Angge. Nagre-recover na nga. I think yun ang pinaka importante na we still have the 12 strong ladies na part ng team." 

"That’s why team kami. Sabi nga, sumusuporta ang bawat isa, pero hindi kami umaasa sa iisang tao. That’s the beauty of it ng team na ready mag-respond whatever the task na pwede ibigay," he continued.

The Chery Tiggo mentor also lauded Cassie Carballo, who had 19 excellent sets, and Xyza Gula, who finished with 12 points, for their solid outings for their team.

"Luckily na tumama yung pinaghirapan nila, pero yung luck na yun pinaghihirapan din during training. Sa distribution naman ng bola ni Cassie, dalawang wings namin na nagdo-double digit. I don’t know kung si Xyza kung naka-double digit din, pero ang maganda yung contribution din ng middle namin especially on the latter part," he explained.

"Mas madali yung panalo na lahat into it na willing tumulong in their own little ways."

However, despite their well-balanced performance, Reyes does not want the España-based squad to have any complacency as they move forward.

"Well since nandun na kami sa Final Four, pero doon muna kami sa last remaining games namin," he said.

"'Di lang kami sa Final Four nagse-settle eh, meron kaming tina-target kung saan kami sa rankings. Doon lang muna kami. Very obvious naman na ready na kami sa Final Four pero one step at a time sa respeto na ibibigay namin sa kalaban namin kasi ang taas ng level ng competition this second round." 

"Lahat nag-double o triple yung effort kasi yung learning o experience ng first round, nadadala ng lahat ng teams. Even yung pinakabatang team, UE, grabe yung determination nila to win a game. Kami rin, itataas namin yung learning experience namin. Hanggang sa ngayon, bitbit namin yun sa remaining games namin," he ended.

RELATED VIDEO: