The University of Santo Tomas shook off a winless start to the 2026 V-League Collegiate Challenge on Wednesday, September 9, grinding out a 25-23, 25-21, 25-23 sweep of De La Salle University at Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong City.

The victory marked UST’s first win of the tournament, snapping a run of frustration that had defined its opening weeks. The Golden Spikers needed every set to get there, fighting off a resilient La Salle squad until the final point.

Golden Spikers Grind Out Tight Sets Before Breaking Free

UST battled through close, tense play across the first two sets before finally finding separation in the third. A block from Rainier Lorayes proved pivotal, pushing the Golden Spikers ahead 23-20 and setting up the finish.

La Salle refused to go quietly, mounting one last rally to close the gap. Vryvin Catinsag shut the door for good, though, delivering a through-the-block hit that sealed UST’s breakthrough win.

Assistant coach Benjamin Mape credited his team’s loose, pressure-free mindset for the turnaround. “Naglaro ‘yong mga bata nang walang pressure, so nakuha nila ‘yong rhythm,” he said. “Even though minsan may off-timing, nare-recover nila, and that is good kasi they can recover immediately pag nakaka-commit sila ng mga errors.”

Mape pointed to a shift in mentality as the difference-maker. “This time, they are playing with their heart, playing as a team, playing as one. ‘Yan ang importante,” he added.

Sali Leads Scoring as La Salle Faces Tough Road Ahead

Al-Bukharie Sali paced UST’s offense with 16 points, built on 14 attacks, as the Golden Spikers improved to 1-3 in the standings. Trevor Valera contributed eight points, while Gboy de Vega added six more to round out the scoring effort.

Ousseini Issa led all scorers for La Salle with 15 points, and Uriel Mendoza backed him up with 10. Despite the offensive effort, the Green Spikers couldn’t hold off UST’s late surge.

The loss dropped La Salle to 2-3 on the season, though the Green Spikers will have more than a week to regroup. They face a red-hot Far Eastern University squad next on Wednesday, September 19.