University of Santo Tomas (UST) and Far Eastern University (FEU) stepped closer to a finals duel when they clobbered their respective foes in the opening match of the best-of-three semifinals of the V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge on Wednesday at the Philsports Arena.

The Growling Tigers scored a sweet revenge on finals tormentor De La Salle University, 22-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-16, while the Tamaraws overpowered a depleted National University squad, 25-23, 25-20, 24-26, 25-16, to inch closer to the best-of-three finals.

After a shaky start, the Golden Spikers found their footing in the second set, pulling level with the Green Spikers and capitalizing on their momentum to take charge in the crucial swing set.

Despite early jitters and a flurry of errors, UST assistant coach Benjamin Mape emphasized the importance of trust and going back to fundamentals after the opening set loss.

“Our team has to learn how to trust each other. No team can win with just one player. It should be a team effort,” said Mape, speaking on behalf of head coach Odjie Mamon, who is with Alas Pilipinas in its training camp in Italy in preparation for the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship next year.

“The important thing is confidence. If the confidence is there, we can easily apply everything we worked on during training.”

The Golden Spikers are looking to carry this newfound momentum into Game 2 of the semifinals series on Sunday at the same venue.

Trevor Valera was instrumental in UST’s turnaround, especially in the second set.

His powerful serves gave UST a commanding 16-7 lead entering the final technical timeout, helping it recover from their earlier struggles.

The third set saw UST dominate as it executed well at the net and in transition, forcing La Salle to commit multiple attacking errors. MJ Fortuna tried to rally the Green Spikers, but the Golden Spikers played solidly on both ends to seal the victory.

Valera ended the match with nine points, including three spikes and three blocks while GBoy De Vega led the offensive charge with 17 points, 16 of which came from attacks.

De Vega also contributed six digs and 15 excellent receptions for UST, which hardly missed the presence of University Athletic Association of the Philippines Most Valuable Player Josh Ybañez.