ROOKIES POYOS, CACAO NAMED PLAYERS OF THE WEEK IN UAAP

SUPER rookies have been stealing the limelight in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament for the past two years and it’s no different this Season 86.

Angge Poyos introduced herself in the UAAP scene by leading University of Santo Tomas to an immaculate 3-0 slate after the first week of action, including two huge wins against powerhouses the

National University Lady Bulldogs and De La Salle Lady Spikers — the finalists in the last two seasons.

With the remarkable start in her collegiate career, Poyos was hailed by the Collegiate Press Corps as the UAAP Player of the Week presented by San Miguel Corp. for the duration of February 17 to 25.

In men’s action, setter Ariel Cacao has been orchestrating a balanced offense to keep Far Eastern University the lone unbeaten team with a 3-0 record.

The sophomore playmaker dished out 15 excellent sets and scored five points as FEU swept the winless University of the East 25-22, 25-17, 25-15 to earn the men’s weekly recognition backed by minor sponsors Discovery Suites and Jockey.

Poyos averaged 20 points in the three matches including a careerbest output of 24 points in her first of many battles with another sensational rookie in Casiey Dongallo from the University of the East.

But it was in the duel against the defending champion where she truly made her mark after showcasing a grace under pressure.

The 5-foot-8 outside hitter scored four of her 22 points in the deciding set including two in the 6-0 finishing kick of the Golden Tigresses to stun the Lady Spikers 25-18, 25-23, 14-25, 16-25, 15-12.

The UST rookie edged out other candidates in teammate Bernadett Pepito, La Salle’s Angel Canino, and UE’s Dongallo for the weekly recognition voted by the print and online scribes regularly covering the beat.

Meanwhile, the 22-year-old Cacao had 14 excellent sets as three Tamaraws scored in double figures to sweep University of the Philippines and tallied his season-best 24 excellent sets in their four-set triumph over La Salle.

Cacao bested UST’s Josh Ybañez and La Salle’s Noel Kampton for the weekly citation.