The UST Tiger Spikers claimed their second win after enduring the FEU Tamaraws in a five-set affair, 28-30, 25-17, 22-25, 25-16, 15-8, in the UAAP Season 85 men’s volleyball tournament at the PhilSports Arena on Wednesday.
UST committed 42 errors in the match.
The Tiger Spikers were only able to pull away in the pivotal fifth set, mounting a seven-point lead, 13-6.
Two UST service errors allowed FEU to creep closer, but Tiger Spiker Jay Rack de la Noche finally ended the match with a quick attack to seal the victory, 15-8.
The Tiger Spikers made quick work of the Tamaraws in the fourth set to force a decider, 25-16.
FEU won the third set, 25-22, after squandering the second frame to UST, 25-17.
After five deadlocks in the first salvo, FEU escaped UST after Caldo’s block kill, 30-28.
“[The unforced errors] were too much for me. We really could’ve minimized the errors and won the earlier sets,” UST head coach Odjie Mamon told the Varsitarian. “‘Yung how to close out the set, no’ng first and third, I really have to address that one.”
De la Noche paced the Tiger Spikers with 24 points, while Josh Ybañez logged 20 points.
Mark Calado led the Tamaraws with 21 points while Zhydryx Saavedra added 13 points.
The UST Tiger Spikers will next face the defending champions NU Bulldogs on Mar. 4, Saturday, 4 p.m., at the Mall of Asia Arena. John Peter L. Cajayon
