THE UST Tiger Spikers faltered against the National University Bulldogs, 25-18, 21-25, 18-25, 18-25, in the UAAP Season 80 men’s volleyball tournament at the Arena in San Juan Sunday.
Leading 20-16 in the fourth salvo, the Bulldogs ignited a quick 5-2 burst topped by a UST service error to finish the game.
NU unloaded a 14-9 blitz to pull away for good in the third canto, capped by a service error from Tiger Spiker Jayvee Sumagaysay to take a commanding 2-1 set lead, 25-18.
The Tiger Spikers staged an 8-3 run to cut the lead to three in the second frame, 21-24, before NU’s Bryan Bagunas retaliated with a sharp down-the-line kill to equalize the game at one set apiece.
Tyrone Carodan’s off-the-block hit capped off a quick 4-1 run by UST in the first set, 25-18.
“Lahat ng nangyari doon sa game, napaghandaan namin ng one week pero hindi na-execute this time,” UST head coach Odjie Mamon said.
Bagunas led all scorers with a game-high 18 points while Fauzi Ismail chipped in 17 markers.
Arnold Bautista and Joshua Umandal combined for 25 points for UST.
The Tiger Spikers, who fell to a 3-2 win-loss card, will face the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons on Feb. 28, Wednesday, 8 a.m., at the same venue.
