THE UST Junior Tiger Spikers and Junior Golden Tigresses dropped their UAAP Season 86 high school volleyball tournament openers at the Adamson University Gymnasium on Sunday, Nov. 5.
The NU Bullpups trounced the UST Junior Tiger Spikers in four sets, 25-23, 21-25, 25-21, 25-20.
Tied at 9-all in the fourth frame, NU pulled away with a game-sealing 16-11 run, spoiling UST’s season debut.
With NU already at set point in the first salvo, 24-20, UST kept its bid alive, scoring three straight points.
However, a costly Gionne Legaspi service error handed the NU Bullpups the first-set win.
It took 14 deadlocks in the second frame before the Junior Tiger Spikers went on a 6-2 blitz to tie the game at one set apiece.
Three consecutive UST errors gave the Bullpus a two-sets-to-one advantage, 25-21.
“Actually lahat kami kami is still adjusting pa, ‘yong dati naming libero (Legaspi) e setter na namin ngayon, and hindi pa ganoon kabuo ‘yong team na ginawa namin,” Clarence Esteban, the Junior Tigers Spikers head coach told the Varsitarian.
“Aayusin namin ‘yong defense pattern at receiving na naging problema namin today.”
In the girls’ division, the UST Junior Golden Tigresses faltered against the Adamson Baby Falcons in straight sets, 25-14, 25-23, 25-18.
The Junior Tiger Spikers and Junior Golden Tigresses will next face University of the Philippines Integrated School and National University Nazareth School on Nov. 11 and Nov. 18, respectively, at the same venue. Emmanuel John B. Abris
