Josh Ybañez, UST stun NU in explosive start to UAAP Season 87 Final Four

The UST Golden Spikers stayed alive in the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball Final Four after pulling off a stunning 26-24, 27-25, 19-25, 25-18 upset over twice-to-beat NU on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Led by reigning two-time MVP Josh Ybañez, who delivered 22 points—including clutch back-to-back hits to close the pivotal second set—UST snapped a four-game losing skid to NU and handed the Bulldogs a rare Final Four loss.

Gboy De Vega and Jay Rack De La Noche backed Ybañez with 15 and 14 points, respectively, as the Golden Spikers finally got over the NU hump after losing their last four meetings, including the Finals of the past two seasons.

Leo Aringo paced NU with 18 points, but the Bulldogs couldn’t match UST’s fire and energy in the four-set affair.

NU, the no. 2 seed with a twice-to-beat edge, will now have to use that advantage in a do-or-die rematch for a spot in the Finals.

—

[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]