AFTER losing their first game in the second round against the University of the Philippines Spikers, the University of Santo Tomas Spikers stretched their winning run to six, thrashing the Ateneo De Manila University Spikers in three sets, 25-7, 25-8, 25-12 last Sept. 15 at the UP gymnasium.
UST went on a blistering start in the first set and never looked back with the help of veterans Emilio Reyes Jr. and Jake Lagar.
In the second set, UST took a 17-6 after a kill by Lagar. Successive kills by Ateneo’s Marc John Villanueva and Vicente Paul Villamin cut UST’s lead to nine. The Tigers, however, proved to be too much for the Eagles, allowing UST to seize the two-set lead.
In the third set, the Blue Eagles put up a semblance of a fight, trailing just by two, 12-10, after a block by Francis Salvador.
A scorching 12-2 run by UST left Ateneo with nothing to hope for as the Tigers took the game and improved their record to 11-1.
UST will resume its game against University of the East on Thursday and play its final assignment in the elimination round against De La Salle University on Sunday.
The game between UST and UE a few weeks back was halted due to the heavy rains that caused the UP gymnasium to get too slippery to play on.
The match was stopped in the third set with UST enjoying a huge margin.
“Even if we win or lose our game against De La Salle, kami pa rin ang magiging number one sa standings. Syempre, mas maganda na din na madami kaming panalo,” said assistant coach Odjie Mamon, who called the shots for UST in the absence of head coach Emiliano Lontoc.
