University of Santo Tomas secured the top spot with its sixth straight win in the preliminary round of the 2023 V-League Collegiate Challenge, defeating a gritty San Beda University side, 25-19, 25-17, 25-23, on Friday at the Paco Arena in Manila.
The Golden Spikers clinched the victory with back-to-back points, thanks to a kill by GBoy De Vega and a block by Trevor Valera, breaking a 23-all deadlock in the third and final set.
Despite the win, head coach Odjie Mamon expressed disappointment with his players' performance, stating, "The players were not really focused; they were just playing, and I allowed them to. It defeats the purpose of adding players to the core."
UAAP reigning MVP Josh Ybañez showcased his skills with an 18-point performance, including 17 successful attacks and a service ace.
De Vega and Rainier Flor contributed eight points each, but it was Gwen Colinares who stepped up in place of the injured Dux Yambao that made the difference. Yambao suffered an ankle sprain in the first set.
No Red Spiker reached double digits, with middle blocker Andrei Bakil ending the match with nine points and Kevin Montemayor being limited to just three points.
