The UST Golden Spikers ended Round 1 with a streak-snapping loss to the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws, 28-30, 25-22, 25-17, 25-22, in the UAAP Season 88 men’s volleyball tournament on Saturday, March 14, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The loss ended the Golden Spikers’ five-game winning streak, dropping them to the third seed with a 5-2 win-loss record. Meanwhile, the Tamaraws remained atop the standings with a 7-0 record.
Josh Ybañez led the Golden Spikers with a game-high 21 points. Jan Macam added 13 markers.
The Tamaraws had more attacks than the Golden Spikers, 62-53. FEU also outblocked UST, 15-9.
Tied at 20-all in the opening salvo, the Golden Spikers went on a 4-0 run to reach set point following an attack error from FEU, 24-20.
However, the Tamaraws responded with a four-point run of their own, pushing the frame to an extension, 24-24.
From there, it was a back-and-forth battle between the two squads until a Trevor Valera quick attack, followed by an FEU net infraction, gave the Golden Spikers the extended first set, 30-28.
The Golden Spikers kept within striking distance in the second set, but FEU stayed on course, staving off UST’s late rally capped by a Dryx Saavedra kill to seal the set, 25-22.
The Golden Spikers then struggled in the third set as Lirrick Mendoza and Charles Absin dominated the net, allowing the Tamaraws to pull away, 25-17.
UST came within one late in the fourth set, 23-22, but Amet Bituin and Ybañez’s attacks decided the Golden Spikers’ fate, 25-22.
Saavedra and Mendoza led FEU with 17 markers apiece, while Espartero and Amet Bituin added 14 and 12 points, respectively.
The UAAP has yet to release the schedule for the second-round games.
