Feb. 25, 2015, 5:07 p.m. – TWO-TIME defending champion
National University erased the UST Tiger Spikers’ twice-to-beat advantage with
a 26-24, 28-26, 23-25, 25-21 victory in the Final Four of the UAAP Season 77
men’s volleyball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena Wednesday.
UST had the chance to win the first two sets of the match,
but the Tiger Spikers crumbled down the stretch and allowed the Bulldogs to
complete their comebacks.
In the second set, the Tiger Spikers were leading, 24-22,
courtesy of Arnold Bautista’s two straight blocks and a drop. But NU regained
its composure with Peter Torres anchoring the attack to force a deuce.
Both teams exchanged hits until Edwin Tolentino blocked a
UST attack allowint NU to gain the upperhand, 27-26. The Tiger Spikers had
another chance to equalize in the second frame, but Bautista’s hit went out as
the Bulldogs took a 2-0 set lead.
Tiger Spiker Mark Alfafara put up an MVP performance with a
new UAAP record of 37 points, but it was not enough to lead UST to its first
finals appearance since Season 74.
FEU’s Edjet Mabbayad set the the previous high of 36 points
in 2007.
“Naging complacement sila at napabayaan yung attack ni
Peter Torres,” UST head coach Odjie Mamon said.
Torres and Jan Paglinawan paced the defending champions with
19 apiece.
In the fourth set, the Tiger Spikers cut a 13-17 deficit to
two, 19-21, but failed to inch further after a Bautista service error.
Bulldog Ruben Baysac’s attack and an Alfafara error put NU
on match point, 24-20. Vince Mangulabnan then sealed the NU win with a drop.
“Hindi pa dapat tapos yung fourth set, dapat one point
lang ‘yun 22-21, buti na lang may twice-to beat advantage kami,” said
Mamon referring to a crucial non-call in favor of NU.
NU almost pulled off another comeback in the third frame,
but Alfafara’s through-the-block hit gave UST a 24-23 advantage.
UST will face the Bulldogs in a do-or-die game on Feb. 28,
10 a.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Delfin Ray M. Dioquino
