DEFENDING CHAMPIONS NU Bulldogs snapped the fiery five-game winning streak of the UST Golden Spikers in four sets, 25-22, 20-25, 25-22, 25-22, to conclude the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball eliminations on Sunday, April 27, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
In the Final Four preview, the Bulldogs banked on the 23-point output of last season’s Rookie of the Year Jade Disquitado for their sixth consecutive victory.
UST finished with a 9-5 record for the third seed, while the twice-to-beat NU improved to a 12-2 slate.
The Bulldogs stepped on the gas early in the match as Disquitado buried a down-the-line kill that sparked a 5-0 run, 11-8.
Reigning MVP Josh Ybañez scored three straight points to rally UST, but opposite hitter Leo Ordiales responded with a crosscourt kill to seal the opener, 25-22.
The España squad quickly recovered in the second frame, launching a 5-1 blitz capped off by an ace from Ybañez.
UST pulled away late after Dux Yambao chimed a one-two play and tied the match at one set each, 25-20.
It was a tighter affair in the third set as Jade Disquitado flew from the back row to take a 17-14 edge. NU continued exploiting UST’s 14 errors to take a two-set advantage, 25-22.
Both squads were neck-and-neck in the fourth salvo until Disquitado and Peng Taguibolos outsmarted UST’s defense, 13-8.
Untimely errors put the Golden Spikers behind as Bulldog captain Leo Aringo drilled an emphatic crosscourt kill to conclude the match.
“Our performance today was far from our performance in our recent games, especially our setter… We were not able to follow our game plan,” UST head coach Odjie Mamon said postgame.
Ybañez paced the Golden Spikers with 20 points from 17 attacks, two blocks and an ace. Rookie JJ Macam and Jay Rack de la Noche added 11 markers apiece.
Ordiales and Taguibolos contributed 15 and 10 points, respectively, to aid the Bulldogs’ offense without ace spiker Buds Buddin.
The UAAP has yet to announce the schedule for the Final Four. F
