THE UST Junior Golden Spikers are one win away from the UAAP title as they walloped the defending champions NUNS Bullpups, 18-25, 25-21, 28-26, 25-19, in Game 1 of the Season 87 boys’ volleyball tournament finals at the Quadricentennial Pavilion on Wednesday, Dec. 4.
The Junior Golden Spikers bounced back from a slow first set before taking the next three to lead the series and move closer to their first crown since Season 80 in 2017.
“Medyo nag-slow start kami, bumagal ‘yong receive namin, bumagal ‘yong setting namin. Pero, no’ng second set, minotivate namin kung ano ‘yong ginagawa namin usually,” UST head coach Clarence Esteban told the Varsitarian.
“Patibayan na lang talaga ang mangyayari. Kung sino yung pinakamatibay, ‘yon ang mananalo.”
With the opening frame at set point, Junior Golden Spiker Rainier Lorayes tried to keep the game alive with a crosscourt kill, 24-18, but NUNS ended the set courtesy of a Xandrex Ragusta down-the-line kill.
In the second set, John converted three straight points to break a 16-all deadlock, 19-16. NUNS managed to cut it close with UST at set point, 24-21, but Joncriz Ayco tied it at one set apiece with a crosscourt hit, 25-21.
UST squandered a 19-15 cushion in the third set after a string of errors and a Ragusta off-the-block kill equalized the game, 20-all.
Both teams went back and forth, eventually reaching a 26-all deadlock, but the Junior Golden Spikers eventually prevailed, banking on Bautista and Cruz’s double block and Rain de la Paz’s ace, 28-26.
Ayco sent it to match point in the fourth frame with a crosscourt kill, before Jon Medino’s attack sealed Game 1, 25-19.
“Siyempre, ‘yong mga players, ‘yong confidence nila, ‘yong tiwala nila sa skills nila, lahat babalik sa kanila. […] Sabi ko nga, kung ano ‘yong best na puwede niyong gawin ngayon araw na ito, gawin na nila,” Esteban said.
Bautsita paced the Junior Golden Spikers with 17 markers, while Medino and Ayco added 16 and 15 points, respectively.
Yuan Mendoza led the Bullpups with 18 markers, followed by Abut and Egger with 15 markers each.
The Junior Golden Spikers will look to capitalize on having homecourt anew in Game 2 at the same venue on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 9 a.m.
