National University cashed in on an erratic UST side and came away with a 25-19, 25-21, 25-19 victory to move a win away from sweeping the V-League Men's Collegiate Challenge crown at the Paco Arena on Sunday.
Nico Almendras unleashed a 13-point game he spiked with 14 excellent receptions while Michaelo Buddin and Kennry Malinis backed him up with 11 points apiece as NU pounced on every UST miscue and pound out the one-sided win that edged the Bulldogs closer to a follow-up to their stirring victory in the recent Spikers’ Turf.
"Maganda yung pinakita ng mga bata namin. Kita naman sa endgame na pagdating ng endgame, nakuha namin yung mga gusto naming mangyari like yung blocking namin, opensa namin, lahat nagtutuloy-tuloy," said NU head coach Dante Alinsunurin after his wards dispatched the Tiger Spikers in one hour and 17 minutes in the opener of their best-of-three title series.
The España-based squad actually trailed by one just point in the third frame, but the fancied NU quartet of Almendras, Malinis, Buddin and Obed Mukaba combined to put the Bulldogs beyond reach, 24-17.
Josh Ybañez, however, came up with a hit and Jay Rack Dela Noche’s solid block on Buddin stalled the Bulldogs’ charge but the Tiger Spikers yielded the match point on a service error by Ybañez.
UST finished with 27 errors.
Dela Noche and Ybañez paced UST with 10 points apiece while Gboy De Vega chipped in eight markers.
NU shoots for the sweep on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
"Importante agresibo kami. Pagtatrabahuhan pa rin namin sa practice at tuloy tuloy pa rin ang ginagawa namin," added Alinsunurin, who also handles the country's men's national team.
