The UST Golden Spikers suffered their second straight loss in the UAAP Season 86 volleyball tournament, bowing out to the FEU Tamaraws in five sets, 26-28, 25-21, 25-21, 21-25, 12-15 on Sunday, March 3 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Josh Ybañez led UST with 30 points while Jay Rack De La Noche finished with 17 markers, Rainier Flor contributed 14 points, and Gboy De Vega added 13.

UST setter Dux Yambao orchestrated their offense with 28 excellent sets.

FEU's Andrei Delicana and Jose Javelona led the Tamaraws in scoring with 18 points. Martin Bugaoan also had a solid outing with 16 points, followed by Dryx Saavedra’s 13 points.

The Tamaraws kept their composure and went on a 3-0 run in the waning moments of the match through a service error from Ybañez.

A crucial point from Delicana put FEU at match point before Saavedra scored the winning attack for the Tamaraws.

Both teams were neck and neck early in the opening set until a 3-0 run fueled by reigning MVP Ybañez attack gave UST a 20-17 advantage over FEU in the dying moments of the first set.

Plagued with errors, UST lost the first set after FEU escaped with an attack from Delicana.

UST built an eight-point cushion in the second frame through offensive contributions from Jay Rack De La Noche, who had seven points in the second set alone.

The Tamaraws went on a 5-0 run to chip the Golden Spikers lead down to three, 20-17, but an attack from Ybañez and a net touch violation from the Tamaraws managed to tie things up in the second set.

The Thomasian squad carried their momentum into the third set that saw both teams joust for the lead.

Martin Bugaoan sparked a 3-0 run for the Tamaraws to break the deadlock and lead the Golden Spikers 13-10.

After three straight points from FEU, the Golden Spikers answered back with a 4-0 run to regain the lead, 17-15, and take a two sets to one advantage courtesy of an attack from De La Noche.

FEU built a three point advantage early in the fifth salvo, but a block from Flor put both teams in deadlock at 11, setting up the Tamaraws’ late rally to break away with the win.

The Golden Spikers currently sit in fourth with a 2-2 record and are set to face the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Saturday, March 9 at the same venue.—With reports from Johann Coronel