UST upset of defending champ puts semis within reach
For a team called on as a replacement, UST-Gameville sure is turning heads in the Spikers’ Turf.
The Tigers stunned defending champion Cignal, 25-23, 22-25, 28-26, 25-20, on Wednesday at Paco Arena to move within a win of a surprise semifinal berth—and they know what they have to do to achieve that feat.
“Happy, but we still need to do a lot of consistency training because there are lots of errors. In the first three sets alone, I think we had 31 errors,” said UST coach Odjie Mamon.
The Tigers will try to tone down those mistakes when they face dangerous Criss Cross, which has its own grand plans for the tournament.
“They know what’s at stake—if we win, we advance; if we lose, we face the consequences. Our goal is to reach the semifinals, so we need more wins,” Mamon added.
UST-Gameville, which joined the tournament as a last-minute replacement for La Salle, improved to 4-1 for solo second behind unbeaten Criss Cross (4-0). A win will put the Tigers in the semifinals despite low pretournament expectations.
Reigning UAAP MVP Josh Ybañez, coming off a stint with the national team he served as chief libero, returned to his attack role for UST and finished with 24 points that included three kill blocks and two aces. He was also a force on the defensive end with 17 excellent receptions and 11 digs, showcasing his all-around talent that made him a vital cog for Alas Pilipinas.
JJ Macam has 18 points while Al-Bukharie Sali added 12, responding to the astute playmaking of Dux Yambao, who finished with 20 excellent sets.
Cignal, which also fell to Criss Cross last Nov. 2, slipped to 4-2, tying Savouge at third.
