THE UST Golden Spikers concluded the first round of the UAAP Season 86 men’s volleyball tournament with a 25-18, 21-25, 25-19, 23-25, 15-10 win over the Adamson Soaring Falcons at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, March 16.
The win marked UST’s first win in a five-set game this season. The Golden Spikers earlier lost against the FEU Tamaraws and Ateneo Blue Eagles in games that reached five sets.
Speaking postgame, UST assistant coach Ben Mape said the win was important for character-building.
“Talagang na-build ‘yong character bata dito,” he said. “Dito sa game na ‘to with Adamson, malaki ang naitulong nito kasi natuto ulit ‘yong mga bata na lumaban hanggang sa dulo. ‘Yon yong nagging problema namin sa three losses namin. Lagi kami sa dulo nawawala.”
UST improved to a 4-3 win-loss record to claim the fourth spot in the standings, while Adamson dropped to a 3-4 slate.
Through the first round, NU sits atop the standings with a 6-1 record, followed by the second- and third-seeded FEU (5-1) and DLSU (5-2). Ateneo dropped to fifth with a 3-3 record, while UE and UP remained winless with identical 0-6 records.
UST was leading by two in the fourth frame, 21-19, until the Soaring Falcons shocked the Golden Spikers with a 6-2 spurt that forced the decider, 25-23.
Trailing Adamson by one, 3-2, early in the decider, the Golden Spikers blitzed away with a game-sealing 13-7 run to seal the deal, 15-10.
UST drew first blood after a 25-18 set win capped by back-to-back Adamson errors. However, the Soaring Falcons retaliated in the next salvo to tie the game at one set apiece, 25-21.
Tied at 14-all in the third frame, the Golden Spikers sparked an 11-5 run to take a two-sets-to-one-lead, 25-19.
Josh Ybañez and Gboy de Vega steered the Golden Spikers to their fourth win with 24 and 22 markers, respectively.
Francis Casas led Adamson with 15 points, while John Gay chipped in 12 points.
The league has yet to announce the schedule for the second round.
