VICTORY could not have come at a better time for the UST Tiger Spikers, who had just reeled from the pangs of their Tamaraw-induced wounds.
The Espana-based squad then found their resolve, but not after undergoing five grueling sets versus Adamson University, 20-25, 25-17, 20-25, 25-16, 16-14, in the volleyball semifinals last February 16 at the Arena.
“This was a very crucial victory,” said coach Emil Lontoc. “The boys were beginning to doubt their capabilities so this was a much-needed boost of confidence.”
The two teams had a tight exchange of points early in the match but quick plays from the opposition unplugged the Tiger Spikers’ bid to seize the first set, which went to Adamson’s way.
But the Tiger Spikers were unfazed, bombarding the Falcon’s court with down-the-line spikes courtesy of front-liners Harby Ilano and Reny Balse. A crossing error from Adamson’s Carl Vitug gave UST an easy second-set win, 25-17.
Atoning for their defensive blunders in the second set, the Falcons got back at the Tiger Spikers in the third set, thanks to Vitug, whose timely spikes amid UST’s repeated comebacks put Adamson on the verge of being the second team to upset the España-based squad this season.
Losing the previous set however awakened the Tiger Spikers as they quickly disposed Adamson with renewed ferocity, 25-16, to stretch the contest into a pivotal fifth set.
Ilano and Reno Roque proved to be vital gems for UST’s cause, unleashing an array of nifty kills and dropshots which stymied Adamson’s breakaway aspirations. Roque then delivered the haymaker, smashing the ball unchallenged into Falcon territory to end the contest, 16-14, for UST. The Tiger Spikers will then seek redemption against top seed FEU in a Season 70 finals grudge-match.
With their first tournament setback still fresh from memory, the Tiger Spikers stumbled anew against FEU, 18-24, 21-25, 18-25, last Feb. 13, yielding the top spot to the Season 69 title-holders, who held an identical 13-1 record like UST at the end of the elimination round.
“Our blocking and reception was not that good,” said coach Emil Lontoc. “We were also intimidated by the opponent kaya di makaatake ng maayos,” he added, saying that a change in plays was in order lest they suffer the same fate in the next games.
True to coach Lontoc’s words, the Tiger Spikers’ brittle defense pushed them early into the pits as FEU surged ahead, 5-11 in the first set and never looked back from thereon.
Hardly rattled by the Tamaraws’ opening salvo, the Tiger Spikers changed tactics, feeding the ball to the hard-hitting tandem of Harby Ilano and Reny Balse on the wings. But the ploy backfired as UST ran into a maze of turnovers, allowing their Morayta-based rivals to seize the initiative anew as FEU’s 1-2 punch Jessie Lopez and Edjet Mabbayad weaved one combination plays after the other that bewildered the España-based spikers’ defenders no end to annex the second frame.
FEU kept its merciless run in the third canto, bombarding UST with a variety of aerial shots from all angles of the floor before Tamaraw enforcer Alcarde delivered the finisher for the Season 69 champions with a razor-sharp kill that pierced through the Tiger Spikers blocking wall, to ice the contest.
The Tiger Spiker’s invincibility posture lost its mystique, no thanks to a rude 19-25, 23-25, 20-25 awakening from FEU last Feb. 10 at the UP Human Kinetics gym.
Prior to absorbing its lone defeat, the Tiger Spikers manhandled National University in straight sets, 25-9, 25-21, 25-12, last Feb. 6 at the Ateneo gym.
In previous games, the black-gold-white army rose from a first-set deficit to repulse De La Salle University, 15-25, 25-16-, 25-15, 25-20, last Feb. 2, a week after crushing Ateneo de Manila University, 25-17, 25-19, 25-22, last Jan. 26.
UST capped its other second-round assignments, on a winning note, blasting Adamson University, (25-18, 25-27, 25-17, 25-17), last Jan. 22, University of the East, (25-9, 25-18, 22-25, 25-12), last Jan. 19 and University of the Philippines, (25-19, 26-24, 25-19) last Jan. 12.
Unsolved opposition
Despite stretching its fourth meeting with FEU into a thrilling fifth set, the UST Lady Spikers failed to live another day as they relinquished a 19-25, 19-25, 25-15, 25-21, 9-15 verdict against the twice-to-beat Lady Tamaraws last Feb. 20 at The Arena in San Juan.
“They fell short on the defensive side,” assistant coach Cesael Delos Santos told the Varsitarian. “We need to on their blocking and court coverage to avoid similar fate next year.”
With headcoach August Sta. Maria relaying the gameplan to Delos Santos, the Lady Spikers rose from a two-set deficit to avoid an easy straight-setters for FEU and eventually force a deciding fifth set.
Trailing by 2-0 in the match, the España-based spikers unleashed a blistering third-set 7-0 rally capped by a down-the-line hit from rookie Hannah Mance to turn a 7-5 deficit into a 12-7 UST advantage. UST then exploited FEU’s errors to cop the third frame.
The Lady Spikers’ rampage persisted in the succeeding set as they mixed a heavy brew of defense and offense to tie the contest at 2-apiece.
But Sta.Maria’s charges were unable to hold sway come crunchtime, littering the court with reception errors and mishandled blocks which led to a 4-0 FEU rally that virtually sealed the outcome to the delight of the green-yellow gallery.
Bernal and Tabaquero shouldered the offensive load for UST, chalking 24 and 20 points, respectively while Shaira Gonzalez spearheaded FEU with 21 points.
Defensive blunders again stifled UST’s chances of averting a 3-nil FEU conquest of the Lady Spikers in Season 70 as the reigning champions bowed to last year’s bridesmaids, 26-24, 19-24, 15-25, 20-25, in a playoff match for the second spot last Feb. 13.
Back in the elimination round, the Lady Spikers showed no signs of intimidation both offensively and defensively to humble league-leader Adamson University in straight sets, 25-12, 25-23, 25-20, last Feb. 10 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The victory placed UST in a three-way logjam for first place with Adamson and FEU, who also tout identical 12-2 win-loss records. But due to a more superior quotient, the Lady Falcons got the top spot which left UST and FEU in a bind to contest the second place and the twice-to-beat incentive that goes with it in a rubber match.
Last Feb. 6, the Lady Spikers bolstered their bid for a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four, pounding the De La Salle University Lady Archers, 25-23, 23-25, 25-13, 25-17, at the Ateneo gym before whipping the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons, 25-14, 25-22, 28-26, last Jan. 30.
The Lady Spikers second defeat to FEU came via sweep, 14-25, 20-25, 19-25, last Jan. 26. UST however trounced the Ateneo de Manila Lady Eagles, 25-15, 25-18, 25-20, last Jan. 20 to start their second-round campaign on a high note, four days after absorbing their first to FEU, 18-25, 25-27, 25-21, 24-26, last January 16. With reports from Andrewly A. Agaton
