An unexpected heartache for UST coach Odjie Mamon

MANILA, Philippines—It was not a lovely day for University of Santo Tomas (UST) women’s volleyball team head coach Odjie Mamon.

Mamon’s Golden Tigresses dropped their third straight game in the UAAP Season 77 Volleyball Tournament as the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons shattered their hearts 3-2, 25-11, 20-25, 25-16, 18-25, 11-15.

UST’s mentor said he was not expecting the harsh loss after his team totally walloped UP in the first set.

“I wasn’t expecting this,” Mamon said as they dropped to sixth seed with a 5-8 record. “Of course I was expecting a win.”

He added that errors in the crucial stages of the fifth set led to their downfall and Valentine Day heartache.

“I called a timeout but UP answered with two straight service aces,” Mamon said.

UST were trailing 11-10 in the fifth set after Chloe Cortez’s drop shot but an error from Marivic Meneses handed UP a 12-10 lead.

Hannah Mangulabnan, who was a subsitute for UP, then scored on consecutive service aces that gave the Lady Maroons the matchpoint 14-11.

Mamon was disappointed to say that Jessey de Leon faltered in the crucial moments.

“Jessey was basically ineffective in the fourth and fifth sets,” Mamon said.

With only a game to play, Mamon said that their only way is to hope and pray that they get a playoff spot for fourth place.

“We’ll just have to pray.”

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