UST’s Mary Jean Balse tries to keep the ball alive as teammate Angeli Tabaquero and San Sebastian’s Suzanne Roces look on during Game 1 of their best-of-three Shakey’s V-League title series Sunday at The Arena in San Juan. (Photo by MARK BALMORES)

Games Tuesday (The Arena, San Juan)
2 p.m. — Lyceum vs Ateneo (Game 2-Battle for third)
4 p.m. — UST vs SSC-R (Games 2-Finals)

A short-handed University of Santo Tomas side guns for its third straight championship when it battles San Sebastian College Tuesday in Game 2 of their Shakey’s V-League title series at The Arena in San Juan.

The Tigresses, who took Game 1 via a 25-21, 22-25, 25-20, 25-15 win last Sunday, go for a sweep in their best-of-three series when they face the Excelroof-backed SSC belles at 4 p.m.

UST triumphed before some 3,500 boisterous fans last Sunday despite missing top-hitter Angeli Tabaquero, who injured her left knee following a bad fall in the first set.

Tabaquero, who normed 12 points in the semifinals, will no longer play the rest of the finals, but UST assistant coach Vilet Ponce de Leon remains optimistic.

“We won’t be affected too much (with Tabaquero’s absence) because I believe we have a deep bench,” De Leon, who subbed for the head coach Shaq Delos Santos for the third straight game, said. “All we will miss from her is her leadership.”

UST, the only team that reached the Final Four this season without the use of a foreign guest player, is eyeing to duplicate La Salle’s three-straight championship in 2004-06 and a record sixth title in the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza and presented by PLDT MyDSL.

Mary Jean Balse proved to be UST’s trump card in the absence of Tabaquero last time out as she scored a team-high 16 points after being a non-factor early this season due to recurring knee injuries.

Balse, a former two-time MVP who will turn 27 on May 30, pumped her fist several times during the game, showing renewed confidence that somehow rubbed off on her teammates.

Aiza Maizo provided her solid backing with 15 hits while Maika Ortiz had 12 for the Tigresses, who dominated almost all departments to prevail despite yielding the second set.

UST’s superiority was most evident in the defensive department where it posted 15 blocks against SSC’s five.

If the SSC spikers hope to force a sudden death Game 3 on Thursday, they should limit their errors. They committed 33 faults against UST’s 18.