The UST Tiger Spikers ended their elimination round on a high note after overcoming the UP Fighting Maroons, 26-24, 25-18, 25-20, 25-23, in the final game of the UAAP Season 85 men’s volleyball tournament at the FilOil Eco Oil Centre in San Juan on Sunday.
After the first set went to deuce, back-to-back points courtesy of UP’s Angelo Lipata and Louis Gamban gave the Fighting Maroons a one-set advantage, 26-24.
The Tiger Spikers retaliated in the second set after blasting off with a 16-8 run. John Dedoroy finished the set with a crosscourt kill, 25-18.
UST setter Lorence Cruz made a one-two play to give the Tiger Spikers a two-sets-to-one advantage, 25-20.
After the Tiger Spikers were down by four in the fourth set, 20-16, UST went on a 5-1 run to tie the game at 21-all. Dedoroy made a game-winning off-the-block kill to secure UST’s victory, 25-23.
UST committed a total of 39 errors in the match.
In preparation for their stepladder game, UST’s go-to hitter Ybañez said the team is continuously learning from their errors.
“Pagdating naman sa stepladder. Hindi naman nagkulang sa paalala sa amin sila coach pagdating sa errors. at , high risk, high reward,” Ybañez said after the game.
UST assistant coach Benjamin Mape served as the head tactician of tonight’s game since head coach Odjie Mamon has his South East Asian (SEA) Games commitment.
The Tiger Spikers will have to wait for the results of the game between the FEU Tamaraws and DLSU Green Spikers. The winning team will face UST in the stepladder.
UST’s first knockout match would be on Sunday, May 7, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
