There was no better stage for Poy Colinares to announce himself than against the team that once called him their own.
In a much-anticipated reunion, the rookie middle blocker delivered his career-best performance, spearheading Criss Cross to a straight-sets 25-22, 25-16, 25-21 win over the UST-Gameville Golden Spikers on Friday and keeping the King Crunchers unbeaten in the 2025 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference.
“Honestly, gusto ko talaga kalaro ang UST eh,” Colinares said, reflecting on the personal significance of facing his former squad.
The 10-point haul from Colinares was built on four solid blocks, highlighting his growing presence in the league. “Nung nasa V-League sila, pinagpipray ko talaga na magqualify sila dito sa Spikers’ Turf saka dagdag din sa exposure ng UST team din ‘yung pagsali dito,” he added. “Halos lahat sila kaclose ko, naexcite lang ako kasi namiss ko rin silang kalaro.”
UST’s entry into the Invitational Conference was itself a story of opportunity. Only the champion and runner-up of the 2025 V-League Collegiate Challenge automatically qualified, but with silver medalists De La Salle Green Spikers opting out for academic reasons, third-placed UST got a ticket to compete, proving that every team can rise to the occasion when chance knocks.
Criss Cross, meanwhile, has already secured a semifinal spot, while Cignal, Savouge, UST-Gameville, and Alpha Insurance continue to battle for the remaining positions. The upcoming semifinals promise to be even more competitive with guest teams Kindai University of Japan and ProVolley Academy of Australia adding international firepower.
Colinares was quick to notice the transformation in his former team. “Ngayon, sobrang laki ng pinagbago ng sistema ng UST. Kumbaga, consistent sila ngayon. Kung maglalaban yung team namin last year saka yung team nila ngayon, for sure tatalunin nila yung team namin last year,” he said. “Naniniwala ako sa coaching staff ng UST kung ano yung programang iniimplement nila magiging successful.”
Fans can catch all the action live on One Sports and One Sports+, through the Pilipinas Live app with video-on-demand options, and via spikersturf.ph.
