THE UST Tiger Spikers survived the National University Bulldogs in a grueling 17-25, 28-26, 20-25, 25-21, 27-25 win in Game 1 of the 1st Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference battle-for-third at the Arena in San Juan Wednesday.
NU squandered the match point after committing two consecutive errors before Tim Tajanlangit’s service ace won the tight fifth frame for UST.
UST rallied back from an early deficit after an 11-4 run capped by Tyrone Carodan’s quick attack to send the match to a deciding fifth set, 25-21.
“(Muntik na kaming natalo) dahil sa service. Marami kaming naging service errors kasi high-risked ang service namin dahil mabilis,” UST head coach Odjie Mamon said.
The Tiger Spikers tried to catch up late in the third set but Bulldog Francis Saura’s quick kill and a net violation on UST gave NU a 2-1 set advantage, 25-20.
The Bulldogs reached set point first in the second canto before UST popped out a late 6-2 run, highlighted by Joshua Umandal’s service ace to even up the match at one-all, 28-26.
The Tiger Spikers committed 39 errors while NU had 34.
Umandal scattered a season-high 28 points while Arnold Bautista had 10 for UST.
Madzlan Gampong led NU with 25 markers.
The Tiger Spikers will try to end their PVL campaign at third place in Game 2 on Oct. 11, Saturday, 11 a.m., at the same venue.
