UST-Gameville made an immediate impact in the 2025 Spikers’ Turf Invitational, sweeping PGJC-Navy in straight sets.
Coming in as a late replacement, University of Santo Tomas-Gameville wasted no time making its presence felt, sweeping PGJC-Navy in straight sets, 25-22, 25-17, 25-21, in the 2025 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference on Wednesday, October 29, at the Paco Arena in Manila.
Reigning UAAP MVP Josh Ybañez led the Golden Spikers’ charge with an all-around performance, exploding for 16 points off 10 attacks, four service aces, and two blocks.
The Alas Pilipinas star libero also anchored UST’s floor defense with 16 excellent receptions and four digs, setting the tone for a well-rounded team effort.
The Golden Spikers, stepping in after DLSU’s withdrawal due to academic commitments, showed no signs of rust or hesitation, overpowering the Sealions in all scoring departments.
Head coach Odjie Mamon lauded his team’s composure and strong start despite limited preparation time.
“Buti walang opening-game jitters, pero we have lots of things to polish pa. Of course masaya ako kasi confidence boosting ito,” said Mamon. “We have a game this Friday against Savouge, at least going to that game nanalo kami so medyo mataas ang morale. Ang problema ko lang is ‘yung short time to prepare, so tomorrow we’ll do more recovery exercises.”
Setter Dux Yambao efficiently ran the offense with 21 excellent sets while adding five points of his own, ensuring smooth ball distribution across UST’s attacking options. Al-Bukharie Sali provided additional firepower with 10 points, while Trevor Valera chipped in eight markers in the convincing victory.
UST-Gameville looks to build on its strong debut when it faces Savouge on Friday at 4 p.m., still at Paco Arena.
On the other side, Greg Dolor paced PGJC-Navy with nine points, followed by Bonjomar Castel with six. Joeven Dela Vega, returning to action after recovering from a health setback, added two points in his comeback game.
The Sealions will try to bounce back when they take on Far Eastern University-DN Steel on Friday at 2 p.m., also at the same venue.
—
Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.