Far Eastern University has learned the hard way that in the UAAP Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Final Four, nothing from the elimination round truly carries over.
In Seasons 86 and 87, the Tamaraws dominated the eliminations and secured the top seed both times—only to fall short when it mattered most.
They were stunned by fourth-seeded University of Santo Tomas in the Season 86 Final Four, then outlasted in three games by National University in the Season 87 Finals.
That painful history is exactly why, for Season 88, Dryx Saavedra is urging the Tamaraws to wipe the slate clean—forget the standings, reset mentally, and attack the semifinals with renewed grit, power, and determination.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Kailangan naming ipakita yung best namin kasi ‘yung standings, wala na ‘yun eh, tapos na,” said Saavedra on their upcoming Final Four clash against Ateneo de Manila University. “Kailangan pa naming magtrabaho. Hindi dahil nasa top kami, tapos na ‘yung trabaho talaga.
“Kaunting pahinga tapos banat ulit sa ensayo and siyempre ‘yung mga lapses namin this game, and Ateneo pa rin naman ‘yung makakalaban namin so talagang pagpokusan namin sa ensayo talaga.”
FEU heads into the Final Four riding a strong wave of momentum after outlasting Ateneo, 29-27, 25-23, 15-25, 25-19, in their final elimination round game to finish with a 13-1 record on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Tamaraws enter the semifinals firing on all cylinders, carrying a five-game winning streak to close the eliminations.
Still, Saavedra reminded his teammates to ease the pressure, regardless of their past Final Four experiences.
Because for FEU, unlocking its full potential starts with a clear mind, focused solely on the ultimate goal.
“Siyempre ‘yung standings tapos na ‘yun eh, so kailangan talaga naming iwala ‘yun sa isipan ng bawat isa,” said Saavedra.
“Kailangan naming bumalik na i-enjoy namin kasi kung ipipressure mo ‘yung sarili mo, doon ka pa bumababa eh.”
