THE UST Tiger Spikers fell to the National University Bulldogs, 21-25, 25-17, 25-27, 23-25 in the 1st Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference at the Arena in San Juan.
The Tiger Spikers dropped their third straight game for a 2-3 win-loss record while the Bulldogs improved to 2-2.
Down 19-22 in the fourth set, UST tried to catch up with a 4-2 run but Bulldog Fauzi Ismail sealed NU’s win with a crosscourt kill.
With the third set tied at 25-all, hits by NU’s Kim Malabunga and Bryan Bagunas’ gave the Bulldogs a 2-1 set lead.
“Actually, kargado ‘yung service namin. We have [a] strong service nung second set. Tapos nung third set at fourth set, binagalan nila ang service kaya naka-atake ‘yung kalaban namin,” UST head coach Odjie Mamon said.
UST unleashed a 15-6 run early in the second set to erect a 23-14 lead. A net error on the Bulldogs gave the Tiger Spikers’ lone set win.
Tied at 21-all in the opening frame, NU fired four-straight points capped by a block from Francis Saura, 25-21.
Ismail spearheaded the Bulldogs with 21 points while Bagunas chipped in 15 markers.
Manuel Medina and Arnold Bautista chalked up 12 points each for the Tiger Spikers.
The Tiger Spikers will try to bounce back against the San Beda Red Lions on Sept. 27, Wenesday, 8 a.m., at the same venue.
