MANILA – De La Salle University finally broke a four-game losing streak, defeating the University of the East 27-25, 25-23, 17-25, 25-17 in the UAAP Season 88 men’s volleyball tournament at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Saturday.
Chris Hernandez was the standout for La Salle, contributing 17 points, nine receptions, and five digs. Eugene Gloria added 15 points with eight digs and seven receptions, while Cameroonian middle blocker Issa Ousseini also scored 15 points, including nine attacks, four blocks, and two aces. The Green Spikers were without their injured libero Win Retiro for a fourth straight game.
Coach Jose Roque emphasized the team’s determination to improve. “Our record doesn’t tell the full story. We identified gaps and worked hard to address them. We’re learning and adjusting with every match, and today’s performance shows progress,” he said.
For UE, Raquim Aceron scored 30 points, including 27 attacks, two aces, and one block, along with 21 excellent receptions. Despite his efforts, the Red Warriors remain at the bottom with a 1-5 record. CJ Nabora, Isaiah Roca, and Xjhann Camaymayan contributed 11, eight, and seven points, respectively.
Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas extended its winning streak to four games with a straight-set 25-16, 25-20, 25-22 victory over Adamson University. Josh Ybañez led the Golden Spikers with 15 points and 13 receptions, while JJ Macam added 12 points and 11 receptions. UST now shares second place with defending champions National University at 4-1.
Golden Spikers coach Odjie Mamon acknowledged room for improvement. “We have tougher matches ahead. Today, only part of our game plan was executed. We need to focus on serve targeting and defense, and we aim to achieve these objectives in the next matches,” he said.
Far Eastern University remains at the top with a perfect 5-0 record.
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