Reporting note: this article draws on tiebreakertimes.com.ph; LodiScore provides the summary and editorial framing.
UST Junior Golden Spikers Sweep Defending Champs UE
Who saw this coming so early in the season? University of Santo Tomas and Far Eastern University-Diliman have firmly planted themselves at the top of the UAAP Season 89 High School Boys’ Volleyball Tournament, both improving to a clean 3-0 on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
UST made a massive statement by taking down defending champion University of the East in straight sets, 27-25, 25-18, 25-18. The Junior Golden Spikers were clinging to a slim one-point edge late in the third frame before blowing the game wide open with a 4-0 run. The spark? Three consecutive service aces from Ivbo Bucaya to make it 19-14. Another Bernard Capuno ace pushed UST to match point, and while Emman Marcelino briefly delayed the party, Markus Julian hammered the door shut with a huge block to seal the 69-minute victory.
“Very proud ako sa mga bata kasi talagang kita na nagpupursigi sila na gustong-gusto nilang manalo sa season na ‘to,” said UST head coach Clarence Esteban. “Sabi ko nga sa mga players, ‘di naman tayo dun sa nanalo. One game at a time lang… basta tayo maglalaro nang maayos [and] basta every game maglaro lang sila ng sistema namin tsaka gustong-gusto nilang manalo.”
Karl Escobal led the charge for UST with 18 points built on 14 attacks, three blocks, and an ace. Capuno backed him up with 15 markers, including 11 attacks, two blocks, and two aces. Chester Esteban dished out 11 excellent sets to keep the offense purring, while Carl Detoyato held down the back row with eight excellent receptions and five digs. Jack Parde was the lone bright spot for UE with seven points as the Junior Warriors slipped to 1-2.
FEU-D Edges NUNS in Four-Set Thriller
Over on the other court, FEU-D had to grind out a gritty 25-22, 19-25, 27-25, 26-24 win over the National University-Nazareth School Bullpups to keep their own unblemished 3-0 record intact.
The fourth set was pure drama. NUNS took a 17-15 lead, but the Baby Tamaraws responded with four straight points behind back-to-back kills from Kenneth Maliwanag. NUNS kept swinging, but Ahmad Korooshavi eventually finished the 1-hour, 47-minute clash by threading an attack right through a triple block at 26-24.
“Well actually, we’re trying our best na talagang to give it all this time. Last year siguro may heartaches kami pero right now, we’re prepared for this,” said FEU-D head coach Rene Dulay. “We got the game, pero I think ang naging mindset namin is we must win. We have prepared this hard nung nakaraan pa.”
Maliwanag went off for 23 points on 19 attacks and three blocks. Samuel Hopkins hammered down 18 kills, while Korooshavi contributed 16. Karch Carolino orchestrated the show with 21 excellent sets, and Samuel Coronel produced a defensive clinic with 26 excellent receptions and eight digs. Al-raquib Dais paced NUNS with 17 points, while Allen Almodovar added 13 as the Bullpups dropped to 1-2, sharing fifth spot with UE.
UPIS Pulls Off Stunning Reverse Sweep; Adamson Dominates
How about that heart from the Junior Fighting Maroons? University of the Philippines Integrated School pulled off a jaw-dropping reverse sweep against De La Salle Zobel, fighting back from two sets down to win 18-25, 21-25, 25-23, 26-24, 15-10.
Tied at 8-8 in the decider, UPIS capitalized on a DLSZ service error before Marcus Bamba scored a block for a 10-8 cushion. Following an attack error from DLSZ, Julio Pinga stood tall with consecutive rejections at the net to seal UPIS’s first win against Zobel in years, lifting them to 1-1 while dropping DLSZ to 0-2.
“Previously pa noong two to three UAAP seasons already, sila (DLSZ) ‘yung team na laging kaya pero talo... Kasi [after] how many seasons, ngayon lang nila natalo Zobel,” said UPIS head coach Hans Chuacuco. “Dependent kami sa from zero na player to ide-develop... Nonetheless, I’m very proud na little by little, nakikita namin ‘yung investment namin sa kanila.”
Prince Jimenez powered UPIS with a match-high 22 points on 16 attacks, five blocks, and an ace. Season 88 Rookie of the Year Justin Jusayan chipped in 16 points, while Bamba contributed 15. For DLSZ, John Angelo Ronquillo led with 18 points and Brett Urriquia had 17.
Earlier in the day, Adamson University rebounded from its opening-game loss to UE with an emphatic 25-7, 25-19, 25-10 sweep of Ateneo de Manila University. James Bernabe led the Baby Falcons with 14 points, including four aces, to push Adamson to 1-1, while Ateneo remained winless at 0-2.
