UP overwhelmed by UST, drops 4th straight match

University of the Philippines’s woes continue in the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Volleyball Tournament as it loses its fourth straight game this season after getting swept by the University of Santo Tomas 18-25, 19-25, 11-25 yesterday, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

The first two sets began with both teams exchanging one to two-point leads; then, by the 16-point mark, UST would pull away by either rattling UP’s reception pattern or going on a block party.

UST then took full control in the final frame, cruising to a quick 18-8 lead, before a Trevor Valera ace ultimately ended the match.

UP only won a total of 21 attack points, two blocks, and two aces throughout the match, as compared to UST’s 42, and nine apiece.

No Fighting Maroon finished in double figures as Kobe Aca-Ac’s six markers and Tommy Castrodes’s five points were the highest for the team. Nigerian rookie Olayemi Raheem was limited to three points.

Photo by UAAP Media

Meanwhile, JJ Macam top-scored for the Golden Spikers with 15, and Edlyn Colinares and Jay De La Noche each earned 14.

Despite the loss, the Fighting Maroons stayed in seventh place at 1-4, while the Golden Spikers took solo second at 4-1, marking four straight wins after dropping their opening game to the still-undefeated FEU Tamaraws.

UP will seek its second win of the season when they play the defending champions, the NU Bulldogs on Sunday at 9 AM at the Mall of Asia Arena. UST, on the other hand, will take on the Ateneo Blue Eagles at 11 AM, also on the same date and venue.