THE UST Golden Spikers found their groove back after snapping the DLSU Green Spikers’ four-game winning streak with a 25-18, 30-28, 25-23 sweep in Round 2 of the UAAP Season 88 men’s volleyball tournament at the SMART Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, March 25.
Leading MVP candidate Josh Ybañez dropped 23 points on 16 attacks, four blocks and three aces to celebrate his 23rd birthday and help UST end a two-game skid.
“As someone who is already a senior on the court, I always remind my teammates that we cannot lose this game… That’s one motivation for the team,” Ybañez told The Flame.
“Especially since it’s my birthday, I didn’t want to lose,” he added.
UST improved to a 6-3 record for the third seed, while DLSU slipped to a 4-5 slate for fifth.
The España squad started off strong after three blocks from Trevor Valera stirred an 8-3 blitz.
UST committed three straight errors late, but skipper and setter Dux Yambao delivered an ace to take a 25-18 set win.
It was a tighter affair in the second frame as DLSU outside hitter Eugene Gloria put his team on top with back-to-back kills, 12-10.
With the Taft squad at set point, UST’s Vryvin Catinsag dished up an ace to overtake the lead and force an extender, 25-24.
UST completed the comeback in the extended set after a block from Al-Bukharie Sali and an attack error from Gloria, 30-28.
Miscues piled up for UST early in the match but outside hitter Gboy De Vega provided spark from the bench while Ybañez scored the ace to end the match via sweep.
For the Golden Spikers, Sali and Macam added 10 and eight markers, respectively.
Gloria led the offense for DLSY with 16 points, while Chris Hernandez had a triple-double output of 10 attacks, 11 digs and 15 receptions.
The Golden Spikers will look to redeem themselves against the top-seeded FEU Tamaraws on Sunday, March 29, at their home court — the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion. F
