THE UST Golden Spikers succumbed to the Ateneo Blue Eagles in five sets, 26-24, 25-19, 22-25, 16-25, 15-9, to kickstart the second round of the UAAP Season 88 men’s volleyball tournament on Saturday, March 21, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
UST clawed back from two sets down to force a decider but fell short of a reverse sweep, absorbing its third loss of the season.
The España-based squad slipped to a 5-3 record, while the Katipunan squad improved to 4-4.
Both teams traded runs to open the match before Ateneo struck first, with Jian Salarzon delivering an off-the-block kill to seal a tight 24-26 win.
UST struggled to find its rhythm in the second set as Brian Castro’s scoring burst propelled Ateneo to a commanding 18-9 lead.
The Golden Spikers mounted a 6-1 run, but the Blue Eagles maintained control, as Salarzon finished off the set, 25-19, to take a 2-0 set advantage.
After a tightly contested start to the third frame, three straight Ateneo attack errors gave UST a 17-14 edge.
The returning Al-Bukharie Sali then delivered a down-the-line hit to close the set 25-22, keeping UST alive.
Momentum shifted in favor of UST in the fourth, as an off-the-block hit from Gboy de Vega capped off a 7-0 run and took an early 13-6 lead.
The Golden Spikers capitalized on the Blue Eagles’ miscues late in the frame to force a sudden death, 25-16.
However, UST ran out of steam in the decider, as Salarzon’s service ace sealed the deal for Ateneo.
Two-time MVP Josh Ybañez paced UST in the loss with 21 points built off 18 attacks and three blocks, while Sali marked his return from a seven-game absence with 11 kills and two blocks..
Reigning MVP Kennedy Batas led the Blue Eagles with 19 points on 17 attacks, one block and an ace. Salarzon added 16 markers, while Amil Pacinio had 13.
Being their biggest problem all season, UST committed 46 errors, doubling Ateneo’s 26 miscues.
The Golden Spikers will look to bounce back against the DLSU Green Spikers on Wednesday, March 25, at the same venue. F – Joshua Louis Sumanghid
