The UST Golden Spikers in the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball tournament. Photo from UAAP Media.MANILA — University of Santo Tomas stood firm against a tough De La Salle University side to break out of its three-game losing skid in the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball tournament.

The Golden Spikers overcame a third-set slip as well as Noel Kampton’s 30-point game to outlast the Green Spikers, 25-22, 25-22, 16-25, 25-22, during their Saturday morning Round 2 faceoff at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.

Refusing to be rattled after Kampton powered La Salle to a dominant third-set win, the Golden Spikers regrouped and delivered in the clutch, securing their second victory over the Green Spikers this season and wheeling back to Final Four contention.

UST improved to 5-4, forcing a tie for fourth and fifth spots with La Salle. The Golden Spikers hold the tiebreaker advantage due to their head-to-head wins.

“Thank you sa team for the wonderful birthday present. We’re back sa win column and about doon sa errors namin, doon sa ending nahihirapan, nadidistract to close out the game. Yun yung inayos namin actually for the past week, and I think it was quite a success,” said UST head coach Odjie Mamon, who celebrated his birthday last Friday.

The Golden Spikers were too poised to be broken by their third set loss, rediscovering their form in the fourth to clinch the victory.

Ahead by just 18-19 in the fourth period, UST made a 5-2 blitz courtesy of Josh Ybañez and JJ Macam to reach match point, 24-21.

Although Kampton managed to get a point back, Trevor Valera finished it for the Golden Spikers with a quick hit for the triumphant rebound after one hour and 51 minutes.

“Sobrang thankful talaga ako kasi always ko inaalala kagabi na birthday gift namin kay coach Odjie ay manalo ngayon. I think that’s the best na maibigay namin kay coach. Sa performance ko naman siguro mas kaya ko pa siyang lamangan,” said Ybañez, who experienced his first win this season.

Prior to this, UST lost all four games he played in.

The reigning MVP provided a personal season-high of 21 points on 15 spikes and six aces, along with 16 excellent receptions and four digs.

Dux Yambao orchestrated the offense with 27 excellent sets with five points as Popoy Colinares and Jay Rack Dela Noche notched 15 and 11 points, respectively.

Kampton delivered a career-high 30 points on 27-of-51 attacks to go with two aces and a block, but all went down the drain.

He was the only Green Spiker in double digits as Maglinao was the next-highest scorer with eight points to go with 16 excellent receptions and four digs.

Both teams will be back on Wednesday, still at the Big Dome, with La Salle seeking a bounce back at 9 a.m. against Ateneo de Manila University and UST eyeing a winning streak at 11 a.m. against Adamson University.