University of Santo Tomas will enter the UAAP Season 85 men’s volleyball stepladder semifinals on a high note after beating University of the Philippines, 24-26, 25-18, 25-20, 25-23, Sunday evening at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Playing minus head coach Odjie Mamon along with Jayrack Dela Noche, who are in Cambodia for the 32nd Southeast Asian Games, the second-ranked Golden Spikers snapped their two-game skid to finish eliminations at 11-3.
The stakes are higher for UST, which will face the winner of the knockout match between Far Eastern University and De La Salle University on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Kailangan pang iimprove kasi semis na, waiting kami sa laban ng FEU saka La Salle. Contender itong mga team na ito, we have to practice more and strengthen ang attack namin, blocking, and linisin pa yung galaw ng mga bata,” said Golden Spikers assistant coach Benjamin Mape.
The Fighting Maroons threatened to force fifth set after taking a 20-16 lead in the fourth but two errors by them paired with Rainer Flor and Josh Ybañez’s attacks to knot the game.
UP got the advantage anew at 22-21 but Ybañez scored a spike before Charlee Magpayo and Gboy De Vega nailed back-to-back blocks to send UST to match point, 24-22.
Ybañez committed a service error but Emman Dedoroy finished the match with an off-the-block kill.
Ybañez went for 26 points on 21 attacks three blocks, and two service aces, while De Vega had 17 points and 21 excellent receptions.
Dedoroy had 14 points, while Flor added 12 points but the Golden Spikers still committed a whopping 39 errors.
Louis Gamban paced UP with 16 points and nine digs, while Jaivee Malabanan chimed in 12 points and 19 receptions.
The Fighting Maroons ended last at 1-13.
