THE UST Tiger Spikers extended their winning streak to 11 games, moving a step closer toward sweeping the eliminations and booking an outright finals slot in the UAAP men’s volleyball action.
UST, last season’s champions, boosted its title-retention bid with a 25-13, 25-21, 17-25, 25-21 mangling of league rival Far Eastern University (FEU) last Jan. 31 at The Arena in San Juan.
Despite yielding a set – their only loss in the entire second round thus far – to FEU, UST’s defensive might anchored on Jayson Ramos, Henry Pecaña and Reny Balse proved too much for FEU in the waning moments of the fourth frame as the Tiger Spikers broke away from a tight 18-all deadlock via a 7- 3 run to ice the game.
With FEU main man Joshua Alcarde on the firing line back in the third set, the Tamaraws pounced on the Tiger Spikers’ faulty ball handling to take the lead for the first time, 11-6.
Torres tallied 13 points for the Tiger Spikers while Alcarde led FEU with 17 markers.
In earlier matches, UST trounced University of the Philippines (25-16, 26-24, 25-11) last Jan. 28, Adamson University (25-19, 25-11, 25-13) last Jan. 25, and De La Salle University (25-19, 25-11, 25-13) last Jan. 18. The Tiger Spikers capped the first round with wins over FEU (25-23, 22-25, 25-16, 25-14), last Jan. 13 and National University (25-16, 25-14, 25-18) last Jan. 10.
Previously, UST fashioned three-set victories against Adamson (25-13, 29-27, 25-15) last Dec. 21 and La Salle (25-14, 25-14, 25-21) last Dec. 18.
Meltdown
Even with a rookie-laden line-up, the UST Lady Spikers continue to hold sway for a Final Four berth, whipping Ateneo de Manila University, 25-21, 22-25, 27-25, 25-20 last Feb. 1 at the Arena in San Juan.
The victory, the Lady Spikers’ sixth against five losses, solidified their hold of fourth place going into the semifinals.
Coming off a morale-boosting third set humdinger, the Lady Spikers raced to a 16-9 fourth-set lead built around rookie Judy Ann Caballejo’s crosscourt spikes.
Although Lady Eagle Angeline Gervacio sparked a 5-0 run to push Ateneo within, 21-19, UST held its ground down the stretch to ice the contest.
Back in the crucial third frame, UST took an early 3-0 lead which later swelled to a 12-8 bulge. Ateneo slowly clawed its way back, forcing a 20-all standoff courtesy of a Gervacio-led 4-0 uprising late in the set.
Both squads engaged in a neck-and-neck battle before Ateneo managed to pull ahead, 24-25. The Lady Spikers, however, had the last laugh as Hannah Mance, Bernice Co and Maika Ortiz fired a kill each to give UST a 2-1 set advantage.
“Our team requires more consistency.” coach Cesael delos Santos said. “Pakiramdam ko kasi hilaw pa ang team sa pinapakita nila ngayon.”
Fatigue and miscommunication errors dealt the Lady Spikers a 25-22, 25-22, 20-25, 24-26, 16-18 heartbreaker against FEU last Jan. 25.
With league-statistics leader Aiza Maizo at the helm of UST’s offense in the first set, the Tiger Spikers led, 14-10, before FEU unleashed consecutive kills to draw near, 19-18. Caballejo and Co then teamed up to foil Rachel Anne Daquis’s offensive forays, 23-21, before Maizo finished the set with a three-kill onslaught.
UST’s floor defense kept them in front in the second set, 17-14. But FEU appeared unshaken, riding on Cherry Vivas’ attacks to peg the count at 20-apiece. Maizo again delivered the goods to clinch the set for UST.
Enjoying a 2-0 set advantage, the Lady Spikers suddenly went cold in the third set as Daquis propelled FEU upfront, 15-10. Co carried the slack for UST by blocking further attempts from Daquis, cutting the eight-point deficit to 17-20. But that was the closest the Lady Spikers could get as FEU went for the jugular in the succeeding plays.
FEU continued to hold the upperhand in the third set, 15-19. Caballejo’s timely hits then tied the match at 21-all but reception errors took the sting out of the rallying Lady Spikers, allowing FEU to wrest the set and forge the decider.
Maizo top-scored for UST with 22 points while FEU’s Daquis had 19 markers.
Earlier in the second round, the Lady Spikers reigned supreme over UP (28-13, 21-25, 25-19, 25-19) last Jan. 21, La Salle (25-21, 25-14, 25-21) last Jan. 18 and Ateneo (25-19, 25-17, 25-17) last Jan. 14. UST concluded the first round with victories over NU (25- 19, 25-11, 25-21) last Jan.10 and UE (18-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-19) last Dec. 18. The Lady Spikers lost to UP, 25-15, 22-25, 25-18, 19-25, 12-15, last Dec. 14.
