University of Sto. Tomas started the UAAP Season 86 Men’s Volleyball Tournament on a high.
The Golden Spikers sent a stern warning to the rest of the league in their debut, stunning defending champion National University in four sets, while also snapping their 34-game winning streak, to kick-start their redemption bid after losing to the same team in the Season 85 finals.
UST then sustained its momentum, fending off a tight University of the East in straight sets to make it two consecutive wins.
The high, however, was short-lived as De La Salle University sent the Golden Spikers crashing back to the ground, followed by consecutive losses to the league-leading Far Eastern University and Ateneo de Manila University.
Indeed, it was a rough stretch for UST.
Despite the pile of losses, reigning UAAP MVP and Rookie of the Year Josh Ybañez never lost faith in the Golden Spikers.
“Honestly, lahat naman kami frustrated sa sunud-sunod na pagkatalo pero hindi siya naging rason samin para hindi na lumaban at para sukuan ang season na ‘to or yung round one,” said Ybañez.
The second-year spiker said that the team worked relentlessly in practice as they tried to make up for their lapses in their previous games.
“Nag-usap kami kung ano yung mga dapat namin i-work on and kung ano yung mga lapses namin nung previous games na kailangan namin i-address para manalo kami this game,” he said.
On Wednesday night, UST finally broke out of their slump, sweeping University of the Philippines, 25-23, 25-14, 25-16, to barge back into the win column, Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Ybañez took charge for the Golden Spikers with 21 points on 18 attacks, two blocks, and one ace with 11 excellent receptions and six excellent digs.
The pride of General Santos said that the win over the Fighting Maroons would serve as a huge confidence booster for the once-deflated UST as they look to return to their winning ways heading into the second round of the elimination round.
“May mga remaining games pa kami para ibalik yung confidence and actually it’s a great way for us to regain our confidence lalo na ayun nga, sunud-sunod yung pagkatalo namin,” said Ybañez.
“‘Di nagkulang sa pagpapaalala yung mga coaches namin na sa during the game, we have to play at our best, we have to learn, and of course parang yung enthusiasm… mag-enjoy lang kami every point, every game, and kahit ano ‘man yung score namin celebrate lang. I think sa ganyang way, masu-sustain namin yung pagkapanalo.”
