THE UST Tiger Spikers took home the crown in the men’s division of the 2023 PNVF Challenge Cup after overcoming the defending champions Cignal HD Spikers in five sets, 20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 19-25, 15-13, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, Nov. 25.
Tied at 14-all in the opening frame, Cignal pulled away with an 11-6 run to draw first blood.
In the second set, UST was leading Cignal by six, 17-11, but the HD Spikers went on a 7-1 run to send the game to an 18-all deadlock.
The Tiger Spikers regained their momentum and tied the game at one set apiece after a 7-4 UST run capped by back-to-back Sherwin Umandal points, which included a block kill that denied his elder brother, Jau.
UST survived another tight set, making a similar 25-22 set win in the third salvo.
With UST up two sets to one, Cignal retaliated and extended the game to a nailbiter after a 25-19 fourth set.
In the decider, UST disposed of an early three-point cushion by Cignal and went neck-and-neck with 10 straight deadlocks until the game reached 13-all capped by a Gboy de Vega down-the-line kill.
UST setter Dux Yambao and middle blocker Popoy Colinares scored back-to-back block kills, rejecting former Tamaraw Mark Calado twice, 15-13.
Josh Ybañez steered the Tiger Spikers with 25 big points built on 24 attacks and an ace, while De Vega chalked up 21 points.
Cignal’s Jau Umandal, a former Tiger Spiker and a current national team member, steered the HD Spikers with 28 markers.
Ybañez was hailed MVP, his third MVP plum in a year—one from UAAP and the other from V-League. He also bagged the 1st Best Outside Hitter award.
UST’s Umandal was named Best Opposite Hitter, while De Vega and Colinares won the 2nd Best Outside Hitter and 2nd Best Middle Blocker honors, respectively.
The Tiger Spikers only dropped four sets throughout the tournament, while Cignal gave up five. Both teams headed into the finals with unscathed 6-0 records.
The PNVF Challenge Cup, formerly known as PNVF Champions League, is a national competition headed by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation. It was participated in by 20 teams across the country.
