In a dominant display, the DLSU Green Spikers defeated the UST Growling Tigers in four sets, 25-19, 27-25, 23-25, 25-20, during their second match of the V-League Men’s Division at the Paco Arena.
The newest key addition to the Green Spikers, Josh Magalaman, embraced his new role as he led the charge with 13 points off 10 attacks and three block points. Adding to the fuel was open hitter Eugene Gloria, who contributed 12 markers and 11 excellent receptions. The unsung hero Eric Layug was able to power through with 11 attacks despite suffering from cramps in the latter part of the game.
On the other side of the court, the UST Growling Tigers put up a brave front with their share of excellent scorers. Jan Macam carried the weight of the team with 17 attacks, four digs, and nine receptions. Joining the team are the double-digit scorers Al-Bukharie Sali and Paul Colinares, contributing 16 and 11 marks, respectively.
Tit for tat, tooth and nail
The DLSU Green Spikers felt jitters opening the game as the Growling Tigers auctioned a 3-0 run. However, Lasallian wing hitters Gloria and Chris Hernandez were able to pummel strong hits to ignite the team, UST still led 4-2. With a strong denial coming from Gboy De Vega and a backrow hit from Jay Rack De La Noche, the Thomasians were able to hold a three-point lead entering the first technical timeout, 8-5.
Hernandez found his groove to deplete UST’s lead after two consecutive crosscourt shots, sparking a back-and-forth battle between the middle blockers at the net, deadlock at 10-all. The Green Spikers eventually edged ahead at the second technical timeout, 16-15. After the break, MJ Fortuna’s pipe attacks extended La Salle’s cushion, 21-18. Despite the efforts of the gold and white, Layug sealed the first set 25-19 with a quick hit and block.
The Green-and-White faced an early setback as the opposing team capitalized on their lack of momentum, 3-0. Fortuna scored the first point of the squad with a commanding crosscourt attack, 4-0, but was unable to fuel the much-needed boost as the team’s defense was still a problem, 6-1. Magalaman proved to be an effective middle blocker as he scored back-to-back points to catch up which UST answered with a block of their own, 8-5.
With the Taft-based squad scrambling in the defensive arc, the team made do with their offense activating their trifecta of attackers, Fortuna, Hernandez, and Gloria, as they showcased a variation of powerful attacks and soft taps, 12-13. The Growling Tigers’ flaws began to show as they grappled defensively which the Green Spikers made the most of, taking the lead as Fortuna served consecutive aces, 17-14. The second set was not smooth sailing as the team continued to keep up with the deadlocks, 23-all. Both squads feuding for the crucial set point. DLSU eventually stole the extended set with an astounding block, 27-25.
On a tightrope then taking charge
With a two-set advantage, the UST Growling Tigers put up a fight to claim the third set against the DLSU Green Spikers. It seemed like deja vu as the set started like the first leg of the match, where the Tigers initiated an early three-to-nothing cushion. Both teams traded points with Colinares and Magalaman battling at the net. A no-look tip by Magalaman tied the set at 5-all. De Vega’s loaded serve and De La Noche’s strong pipe hit allowed UST to enter the first technical timeout with a two-point advantage, 8-6.
La Salle struggled to contain Sali’s consecutive attacks, falling behind, 14-12. Both teams made errors late in the set, but UST’s strong hitting gave them a 21-20 lead. Although La Salle tied the score at 23-all, crucial errors by Robert Flores and Gloria handed the set to UST, 25-23.
After losing to the Growling Tigers in the previous set, the Green Spikers were fired up to seal the deal during the fourth set. The consistent Layug opened the set with a quick attack followed by Rui Ventura’s first block point of the match, 3-1. As La Salle fought to maintain a lead, both teams were plagued with faults on the service line as Gloria and Colinares exchanged errors, leading to the first technical timeout with the Green-and-White leading by four, 8-4. Quiet heroes Layug and Gloria valiantly used the hands of the UST blockers to gain a steady advantage for the team, 13-9.
The fourth set spark plug; Ventura showcased his ability to attack from down the line to maintain a three-point lead, 16-13. Entering the 20-point battlefield, the Green Spikers held an advantage with Magalaman quickly making up for his past attack error, 20-18. DLSU capitalized on UST’s disorganized footing, with Magalaman emerging on top, 23-20. Aside from swiftly activating his attackers, Eco Adajar also joined the scoring party with a service ace handing UST their first V-League loss, 25-20.
Playmaker Adajar reflected on their team’s preparation for the tough UST match, stating they had sufficient time to strategize. “One week ‘yon, one week preparation…’yong kabila wala ‘yong main gunner nila si Josh Ybañez pero nagdeliver naman yung mga bata ng UST. Gano’n rin naman sa amin naglaro kami nang maayos at nagviewing kami.
(We had a whole week to strategize against UST. Despite missing their star player, Josh Ybañez, their team delivered a solid performance. On our end, we played well and did our homework before the match.)
The DLSU Green Spikers will seek to stockpile another win as they face the EAC Generals in their next match on Wednesday, August 14, at 10 am at the same venue.
The Scores:
DLSU 3 – Magalaman 13, Gloria 12, Layug 11, Hernandez 10, Ventura 5, Adajar 2, De Castro 0, Flores 0, Guerrero 0, Poquita 0
UST 1 – Macam 17, Sali 16, Colinares 11, De Vega 9, Calera 6, Yambao 3, De La Noche 1, Salvador 0, Alabar 0, Umandal 0, Catap 0
Set Scores: 25-19, 27-25, 23-25, 25-20
