The University of Santo Tomas Golden Spikers yielded to the defending champions National University Bulldogs, 25-16, 20-25, 21-25, 27-29 to wrap up their first round of the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball tournament on Sunday, March 16, at the Araneta Coliseum.

A total of 39 errors were committed by the Golden Spikers during their finals rematch against the Bulldogs, surpassing the 35 errors committed in their loss over the Ateneo Blue Eagles last week.

Josh Ybañez led UST’s scoring department with 17 points, while Jay Rack Dela Noche and JJ Macam added 16 and 15 points, respectively.

UST started off hot as Trevor Valera executed four monster blocks while Dela Noche punctuated the first set with a down-the-line attack, 25-16.

UST’s efforts on attacking were neutralized by their own service errors, allowing the Bulldogs to gain momentum and steal the set through back-to-back hits from Jade Disquitado, 20-25.

Ybañez came alive in the third frame with off-the-block hits, but the Golden Spikers’ errors continued to be their Achilles heel.

NU continued to bite their way through an offensively struggling UST side as they sealed the set with a four-point deficit, 21-25.

The Golden Spikers broke away late in the fourth set with back-to-back hits from Macam, but Disquitado answered with his own kill attacks.

UST remained in the losing column as an attack from Ybañez was denied at the net, 27-29.

Leo Aringo was NU’s leading scorer with 13 points, while Buds Buddin, and Jade Disquitado racked up 11 and 12 points, respectively.

UST will cross the halfway mark of the season in third place with four wins and two losses.

The league has yet to announce the schedule of the second round match-ups.