After three straight finals appearances, the UST Golden Spikers will settle for bronze in the UAAP Men’s Volleyball Tournament.
There will be no Cinderella run for the UST Golden Spikers this time around after falling to the NU Bulldogs in the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Volleyball Final Four.
Despite forcing a winner-takes-all match last weekend, the Golden Spikers were unable to close things out, falling in a 23-25, 23-25, 23-25 sweep to National U last Wednesday to finish Season 87 in third place.
In his exit interview, UST head coach Odjie Mamon admitted that NU simply figured the Golden Spikers out, which was accompanied by a greater desire to emerge victorious in the rubber match.
“Kita mo naman ‘yung matchup namin nung first set, I had to adjust ‘yung second and third set. Starting position nila, setter nila nag-start din sa [zone] three, so sinabayan ‘yung ikot namin. Also gusto nilang manalo and they committed less errors, I think they had 16 total for this match,” Mamon explained.
National U also flexed its height advantage against the Golden Spikers, led by a frontline rotation of Peng Taguibolos, Obed Mukaba, and Choi Diao. On offense, there was six-foot-three opposite Leo Ordiales, whose towering frame and high leaping ability allowed him to power through UST’s floor defense.
“‘Yung block advantage nila, they used it well, ‘yung height nila is mighty talaga…So ‘yung gameplan namin hindi na-execute. Dapat puro combination play kami, pero naglaro pa rin kami sa wing,” Mamon said.
Season 87 was expected to be a promising year for the UST Golden Spikers, with a core led by Josh Ybañez, Dux Yambao, Jay Rack De La Noche, and Gboy de Vega being strengthened by young talents in beach volleyball ace Alche Gupiteo and rookie Jan Macam, to name a few.
Mamon has previously called this UST lineup the “best” among the playing field, which now adds salt to the wound after NU crushed their finals aspirations on Wednesday. After all, in his view, the Golden Spikers had all the pieces to remain in contention for a UAAP championship.
“I stand by my statement na best lineup ever, and hindi ko lang na-polish ‘yung potential nila to the max. Bitter ako kasi may expectations kami, tinanggal ko ‘yung condition na manage your expectations unlike ‘yung two previous years na nag-finals kami,” the longtime UST tactician admitted.
“Start ng program, [I always tell them] to manage your expectations, and this year wala. Play lang para makaabot kami ng finals, and eventually the championship. Mahirap magsalita pagka talo, but I don’t want to make any excuses. Siguro pag-uusapan pa namin ‘yung how to close out the season.”
Still, the Golden Spikers can take away some silver linings, namely their fight amid Ybañez’s recovery from a Grade 2 ankle sprain during the first round of eliminations. Amid the two-time MVP’s absence, the España-based spikers still mounted a five-game winning streak midway into Round 1, which came with the emergence of Macam as a starting outside hitter.
“So I’m not disappointed dun sa performance or doon sa result namin, considering na ‘yung main gunner namin missed four or five matches, but the podium finish is sa akin lang bitter. Ako ang bitter, pero I take up the responsibility naman,” Mamon lamented.
Mamon himself is yet to sign his re-appointment papers, but has nonetheless vowed a revamp to the current Golden Spikers’ core, which will include top rookie prospects from their grassroots program.
“I have 26 players in the pool. Sa mga playing years, lahat niyanis third playing ‘year ‘yung mga seniors, pero may graduating na sa academics, and Jay Rack is one of them. So pag-uusapan pa namin, pagpaplanuhan pa namin who to invite back. Pero definitely may revamp and we have ‘yung recruits namin galing din sa boys volleyball.”
Banner images courtesy of Cas Aseoche, UAAP Media Bureau.