Thirty-eight errors will beat you before the other team does. University of Santo Tomas found that out the hard way Sunday, dropping to an 0-2 record in a match it was favored to win.

Colegio de San Juan de Letran took the four-setter, 26-24, 22-25, 25-16, 25-23, in the ongoing 2026 V-League Collegiate Challenge preliminaries at Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong City. The Knights had let a chance slip against the Arellano University Chiefs the other day — this was the correction.

The turnaround came with a diagnosis attached. Letran came back looser, and the third set turned into a rout the Golden Spikers never properly answered.

A Coach Who Asked for Less

New head coach Jessie Lopez blamed the previous defeat on effort rather than execution. “Siguro naging mas relaxed lang sila sa laro. Masyado silang naging excited sa gusto naming gawin kahapon; naging stiff yung galaw at may mga circumstances na may na-injure na players,” said the Far Eastern University great, who collected his first win in the tournament.

His instruction to the group was simple enough. “Ang gusto ko lang matutunan ng players namin sa Letran ay mag-relax lang sa laro, at may sistema naman kaming sinusundan,” he added.

The results followed the theory across two hours. Paolo Lopez was steady at both ends with 14 points on 13 spikes and one service ace, adding two digs and 15 excellent receptions from the outside.

Dave Lardizabal turned in another double-digit night with 16 points, carrying much of the load through Letran’s third- and fourth-set surge. Vince Himzon contributed seven, including the booming kill that closed the match.

Errors Undo the Favorites

Wayne Araño, the Knights’ setter and captain last season, delivered 19 excellent sets. That will have pleased Lopez in particular, given that the coach was a national team playmaker himself.

UST had the individual numbers and none of the control. Gab Hernandez led the Golden Spikers with 17 points on 14 spikes, a block and two service aces, while middle blocker Trevor Valera added 14.

The error column swallowed all of it. Thirty-eight unforced mistakes is a total no side recovers from, however well its scorers are hitting.

Both teams now face awkward assignments. Letran meets reigning six-time UAAP champion National University on Saturday at 12 noon, while UST tries to snap its skid against Arellano on August 29 at 5 p.m., still at the same Mandaluyong venue.