KNIGHTS PULL OFF 5-SET THRILLER OVER TITANS

By Karisma Tupaz

In a battle of the undefeated, the St. John’s Knights defended their perfect record Saturday night, beating the Tiyan Titans 3-2 at St. John’s in an intense five-set thriller. Titan Nathan Aguigui had a game high of 24 kills.

Originally scheduled two weeks prior but postponed due to the recent storm, the highly anticipated matchup lived up to expectations as both teams gave it their all. After falling behind 2-1, the Knights fought back to secure the win 25-11, 19-25, 23-25, 25-17, 15-13.

First set

St. John’s came out strong in the opening set. The knights built an early lead, 5-1, and stayed in control the entire set, setting the tone early behind plays from setter Jerrick Palomares, outside hitter Eric Kwon, and middle blocker Harry Vitale. Tiyan struggled with consistency and errors while Eric Kwon and Knathan Davis each recorded three kills to help the Knights to a 25-11 set win.

Second Set

The Titans came back in the second set with a new energy, capitalizing on St. John’s errors while cleaning up their own performance. Tiyan went on a 6-1 run to take control from 6-5 to 6-11 and stayed ahead by 5–8 points the rest of the set. Teams exchanged points early on as Tiyan slowly built momentum and extended its lead through kills from Nathan Aguigui, Ean Cruz, and plays from setter Leonidas Hayashi. St. John’s fought to stay within reach, but the Titans maintained control to take the set 25-19.

Third Set

Set three saw both teams continue to exchange runs, but Tiyan’s energy remained high. Nathan Aguigui, Daric Masnayon, and Ean Cruz helped create separation for the Titans, while St. John’s struggled to fully recover from key hitting errors. Tiyan stayed ahead by 3-7 points throughout the set but the Knights had a late comeback. The Knights earned several points behind Oliver Schaumann, Henry Vitale, and Jerrick Palomeres, but Tiyan held off the pressure and secured another close 25-23 win.

Fourth Set

Facing elimination, St. John’s responded in the fourth set with a new mindset. St. Johns stayed scrappy and refused to let the ball drop. Tiyan trailed close behind but couldn’t gain the lead. The Knights eventually found their rhythm through Knathan Davis, Andrew Baker, Oliver Shaumann, and Eric Kwon. Their improved mentalities and reduced mistakes allowed them to gradually pull away and force a fifth set with a 25-17 victory.

Fifth Set

St. John’s jumped ahead early with an ace from Alex Puangco and kills from Eric Kwon and Henry Vitale, but Tiyan refused to back down.  St. John’s led 5-1 early, Tiyan tied it at 9-9 Despite injuries to both teams’ liberos and controversial calls that got the crowd going, the Titans battled back behind Aren Hoffman, Nathan Aguigui, and Ean Cruz, eventually tying the score and briefly shifting momentum. The teams traded points repeatedly in the closing stretch before St. John’s regained late control. Eric Kwon delivered the final kill to seal the 15-13 win and preserve the Knights’ undefeated season.

Tiyan’s  Nathan Aguigui had a game high of 24 kills, while Ean Cruz and Aren Hoffman both had 7 kills. Players of the game Knathan Davis and Eric Kwon had a total of 21 kills between them, Davis had 12, Kwon had 9. 

After the match, Davis credited Tiyan, saying, “It was a really good game. Tiyan really brought the heat and intensity and they’re definitely not a team to underestimate.” The typhoon set back a lot of teams but St. John’s used it to their advantage. Kwon said, “I think it was an advantage for us and gave us more time to prepare and get ready because we know that Tiyan was a hard team to beat.” Eric Kwon added, “This game meant a lot for us. It showed that we’re capable of winning the championship this year.” 

With another battle of undefeated teams ahead against FD on Tuesday, St. John’s now shifts its focus to maintaining its momentum while continuing to rely on fundamentals, strategy, and composure.

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