NU tarnishes Tiger Spikers’ record with four-set rout
By Ernest Martin Tuazon
The UST Tiger Spikers (2–1) saw their perfect entrance to the UAAP Season 85 men’s volleyball tournament halted with a four-set defeat against defending champions NU Bulldogs, 20–25, 19–25, 25–19, 21–25, Saturday evening, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
With this loss, the University fell to solo second in the standings with a 2–1 record, while the Bulldogs took control of the first spot with three consecutive wins to open the tournament.
UST once led by as many as three in the fourth set, before NU team captain Joshua Retemar and Michaelo Buddin steered the Bulldogs to a 13–6 blast of the Tiger Spikers to hand them their first loss of the season, 21–25.
After dropping the first two sets, UST rookie Josh Ybanez and Rey De Vega lifted the Tiger Spikers to a much better offensive set with 14 attack points and two blocks en route to stealing away the third set, 25–19.
In the opening set, the rookie-laden Tiger Spikers fell to a 6–0 run of National U, 17–24, to give their Sampaloc neighbors the much-needed momentum to outlast Espana in four sets.
UST always found ways to keep each set within striking distance, but their 27 crucial errors, along with the Bulldogs’ offensive spurts, stood the Tiger Spikers no chance of tarnishing the cinderella run of the Bulldogs.
The University’s lack of defense was exposed by National U, who heavily outscored in the block department with 14 rejections compared to UST’s eight blocks.
Ybanez topscored anew for the Tiger Spikers with 20 points on 17 attacks, two service aces, and one block, while former beach volley athlete Jay De La Noche notched 14 markers after his 24-point showing in the previous game against FEU.
The Tiger Spikers will look to move back to their winning ways in a match against the Adamson Soaring Falcons on Wednesday, 10:00 a.m., at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
