The UST Growling Tigers quickly regrouped from a first set loss to dominate the DLSU Green Archers in Game 1 of the V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge semifinals.
University of Santo Tomas (UST) bounced back from a first-set loss to defeat De La Salle University, 22-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-16, in the semifinals of the V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge at the Philsports Arena on Wednesday, September 18.
The victory puts UST just one win away from a finals appearance.
UST recovered after a shaky start, leveling the match in the second set before dominating the third and fourth sets. Assistant coach Benjamin Mape, filling in for head coach Odjie Mamon, emphasized teamwork and trust as the keys to the turnaround.
"Hindi pwedeng mag-isa, team effort talaga," Mape said, noting that the players’ confidence helped them execute better as the match progressed.
Trevor Valera was crucial in UST's second-set comeback, giving the Golden Spikers a decisive lead through his strong serves. Valera finished with nine points, contributing both offensively and defensively.
UST continued its momentum into the third and fourth sets, capitalizing on La Salle’s errors and maintaining control at the net.
GBoy De Vega led UST with 17 points, while Paul Colinares added 14 points, including four blocks.
Despite strong performances from La Salle’s Chris Hernandez and Eugene Gloria, the Green Spikers were unable to regain control after dropping the second set.
UST will aim to close out the best-of-three series in Game 2 on Sunday, while La Salle looks to regroup and extend the series to a deciding third game.