JOSH YBAÑEZ sizzled with 27 points to lead the UST Tiger Spikers to their first win in the 2023 V-League Collegiate Men’s Challenge against the NU Bulldogs, 25-22, 25-16, 18-25, 28-26, at the Paco Arena on Wednesday, Aug. 23.
Ybañez, UAAP Season 85’s top rookie and Most Valuable Player, scored four straight points for UST before NU’s Michaelo Buddin committed an attack error to give the Tiger Spikers the win in the fourth set, 28-26.
It was a bounceback performance for Ybañez, who tallied just seven points in UST’s V-League opener against De La Salle University.
“Hindi maganda ‘yung pinakita ko against La Salle and of course, nasermonan ako ng mga coaches and that’s normal. I took all of that as my motivation para mas magising ako na kailangan ko pa rin lumaban para sa team,” Ybañez told the Varsitarian.
Down two sets to one, the Bulldogs started the fourth frame with a 4-0 blitz but failed to maintain their lead as the Tiger Spikers pulled off a 10-6 run capped by an Ybañez off-the-block kill to tie the game at 10-all.
UST’s third-set struggles were evident as the Tiger Spikers’ errors gifted the Bulldogs 13 points, ultimately keeping the Bulldogs alive and enabling them to win their first set.
A Sherwin Umandal down-the-line kill ignited a 13-4 blast that buried the Bulldogs in the second frame, 25-16.
Tied at 21-all, the Tiger Spikers eked out a 4-1 blitz to take the first set, 25-22.
Gboy de Vega scored 12 markers for UST.
Buddin led NU with 19 points, while Jade Diquitado scored 16 points.
“Mas disiplinado sila ngayon coming to this game as seen noong first two sets. Kaso ‘yon nga lang kapag medyo napapagod na, they slide back so three players did that to this game that is why I had to shuffle,” UST head coach Odjie Mamon told the Varsitarian.
The UST Tiger Spikers will next face the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta Altas at the same venue on Friday, Aug. 25, at 2 p.m. Jose Gabriel V. Ignacio with reports from Valere Jane R. Callorena
