University of Santo Tomas caught fire at the right time to secure a fourth straight Final Four berth in the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Tournament, outlasting Adamson University in a hard-fought 32-30, 18-25, 25-18, 25-17 victory on Saturday afternoon at the FilOil Centre in San Juan.
Two-time MVP Josh Ybañez and off-the-bench playmaker Joshua Avila seized the moment, lifting the Golden Spikers to an 8-4 record.
Ybañez erupted for 23 points — 11 of which came in the opening frame — on top of 26 excellent receptions and four excellent digs.
Avila, meanwhile, rose to the occasion after team captain Dux Yambao suffered an injury scare in the first set, tallying 33 excellent sets and two points in UST’s eighth win in 12 matches.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Siyempre, I have core players. I start with them, but when someone loses focus or is not effective, I have a deep bench, and I can pull anyone. We are confident in them. Yung trust namin, hindi lang sa core, but doon din sa bench ko,” Golden Spikers head coach Odjie Mamon said.
“I think the second set was on me, nag-adjust agad ako ng position and ng match-up. Going into the third set, kahit nag 1-1 kami, parang nabasa na namin yung laro. Controlled namin yung third and fourth [sets],” he added.
With UST joining league-leading Far Eastern University and defending champion National University in the Final Four, rivals Ateneo and La Salle are left battling for the last remaining spot.
After a marathon first set and a sluggish showing in the second, UST found its rhythm in the third, building a comfortable 16-9 cushion. Consecutive hits from Ybañez, Trevor Valera, and Gboy de Vega then gave the Golden Spikers a 2-1 set lead.
That proved to be all the momentum UST needed, as it carried its confidence into the fourth set, racing to a 7-1 start that was too steep for the Soaring Falcons to overcome.
Back-to-back hits from De Vega, along with two points from Valera — highlighted by a block on Lance Flestado and the match-clinching attack — completed UST’s four-set conquest of Adamson in one hour and 41 minutes.
De Vega also provided a spark off the bench with 16 points on 12 attacks, three aces, and one block, along with nine excellent receptions. Vryvin Catinsag added 11 points built on eight attacks, two blocks, and one ace.
Rookie opposite hitter Joncriz Ayco chipped in 10 points on eight attacks, while Edriel Alabar anchored the defense with 16 excellent receptions and eight excellent digs.
UST will next face the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons on Sunday, April 19, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Meanwhile, the Soaring Falcons dropped their fifth consecutive match and fell to last place in the eight-team field with a 2-10 record. They will look to bounce back against the Tamaraws next Saturday, April 18, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
Richard Besorio led Adamson in the loss with 18 points on 17 attacks and one ace, along with 16 excellent receptions and two excellent digs. Maruel Tan added 10 points and four excellent digs.
Team captain Leo Coguimbal finished with eight points on five attacks and three blocks, while Andrew Tahiluddin and Zyro Omos chipped in seven points apiece.
