Savouge turns back UST-Gameville

Games today:

(Filoil EcoOil Centre)

1 p.m. — Savouge Aesthetics

vs ProVolley Academy

3 p.m. — Kindai University

vs Criss Cross

5 p.m. — Cignal vs University of Santo Tomas–Gameville

Savouge Aesthetics repulsed University of Santo Tomas (UST)–Gameville to post a pulsating 25-27, 25-16, 25-22, 25-21 win as the round-robin semifinals of the 2025 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference got going Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

In a match that lived up to the Big Dome’s first-ever Spikers’ Turf outing, the Spin Doctors relied on the composure of Madz Gampong and Giles Torres to put away the Golden Spikers, who were missing key players Josh Ybañez, Al-Bukharie Sali, JJ Macam and head coach Odjie Mamon.

UST–Gameville showed the same grit that defined their final elimination game, closing an 8-3 run to cut a 12-18 deficit to just 20-21, threatening to push the contest to a fifth set.

But Gampong ignited a personal 3-0 run to give Savouge match point, and Torres sealed the win with a towering block on Sherwin Umandal, delivering the Spin Doctors’ first victory in the six-team semifinals of the tournament.

“We are happy because this was our goal. We want to start our round-robin semifinals with a win so we will have momentum on our side. The players were tired the last three days during training and it’s good that everything bore fruit.”

Mark Calado led the Spin Doctors with 20 points from 17 attacks and three blocks, while Torres added 17 points, including nine attacks, six blocks, and two aces. Sherwin Caritativo contributed 10 points and 14 excellent receptions, and Gampong chipped in seven points and seven excellent digs off the bench, filling in for Reymark Betco, who played only the first set due to a right ankle injury.