The UST Tiger Spikers faltered against the De La Salle Green Spikers in four sets, 28-26, 18-25, 26-28, 21-25, in their V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge opener at the Paco Arena on Friday, Aug. 18.
Down by four, 15-19, the Tiger Spikers unloaded a quick 5-2 spurt to cut the lead to one in the fourth set, 20-21.
The Green Spikers then used a 4-1 blitz capped off by Uriel Mendoza’s down-the-line kill to hand UST the loss, 25-21.
UST head coach Odjie Mamon said service errors hounded the Tiger Spikers, who committed a total of 34 errors against La Salle’s 31.
He also attributed the loss to first-game jitters.
“This is part of our preparation for UAAP, so we’re fine-tuning ‘yung updated system, play na inimplement ko when we started last July. So I think mas naka-adapt ‘yung mga bagong players kaysa do’n sa mga lumang players,” he told the Varsitarian.
Tiger Spiker Gboy de Vega’s crosscourt kill tied the first period at 26-all before UAAP Season 85 rookie-MVP Josh Ybañez and team captain Rainier Flor closed out the set with back-to-back kills, 28-26.
Knotted at 18-all, the Green Spikers blasted away with a 7-0 run to equalize the match at one set apiece, 25-18.
A Vince Maglinao off-the-block kill and a UST attack error gave La Salle a two-sets-to-one advantage, 28-26.
Flor paced the Tiger Spikers with 13 points while De Vega scored 10 points.
La Salle’s team captain Ronquillo led the Green Spikers with his game-high 27 markers, while Joshua Rodriguez added 12 points.
The Tiger Spikers will next face the defending champions National University Bulldogs at the same venue on Aug. 23, Wednesday, at 4 p.m. with reports from Valere Jane R. Callorena
