Just one set away from ending a 13-year championship drought, Far Eastern University fell short in the last stretch — but head coach Eddieson Orcullo isn’t letting his team dwell on the heartbreak.
After squandering an 8-5 lead in the fifth set, the Tamaraws fell to the National University Bulldogs in a gut-wrenching five-set thriller, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, 22-25, 11-15, in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Volleyball Finals last Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
What could have been a historic title celebration turned into a reminder of how cruel the game can be.
Instead of clinching their first UAAP men’s volleyball crown since Season 74 in 2012, FEU now faces a winner-take-all Game 3 against an NU squad hungry for a historic five-peat.
The Tamaraws committed 30 unforced errors in Game 2 — only slightly fewer than the 33 they tallied in their opening win. Orcullo acknowledged the sting of the collapse but emphasized the importance of turning the pain into purpose.
“Siguro, yung gigil, oo, siguro yung hinayang, pero hindi rin kasi, nangyari na talaga yun. So, ang gawin lang natin, imbis na manghinayang, bumalik na lang ulit sa gagawin mo para makapag-prepare ulit,” said Orcullo.
“‘Yun ang pinakamagandang lesson namin ngayon na, if we lose the game, don’t lose the lesson. ‘Yun ang panghahawakan namin. Balikan namin yung video, balikan namin lahat kung ano man yung ginawa.”
The second-year head coach also highlighted the significance of staying mentally tough — not just for the players, but for everyone in the FEU community.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Yung nangyari sa game namin, siguro test of character sa bawat isa sa amin. Coaches, players, and supporters, siguro dyan makikita yun, diba? Kung nananalo tayo lahat kakampi mo. Ngayon natin makikita kung sino talaga yung nasa side mo pagka ganito yung sitwasyon.”
Orcullo stressed the need for FEU to start strong in Game 3, especially against a seasoned and resilient Bulldogs squad that has mastered the art of controlling momentum.
In both Finals games, the Tamaraws played from behind. While they completed a 3-2 comeback in Game 1, they couldn’t overcome NU’s two-sets-to-one lead in Game 2.
“Maganda kasi pag yung nakakauna, talagang advantage ka. Siguro, ano lang, trabahuin namin ulit. Dapat makauna, kasi pag ka lagi silang lumalamang, ang hirap habulin talaga. Lalamang ng lima hanggang anim, medyo sobrang hirap kumayod eh, hirap gapangin,” he said.
One bright spot in the tough loss was the breakout performance of middle blocker Charles Absin, a transferee from Ateneo. Inserted into the game starting the second set after Congolese import Doula Ndongala struggled early, Absin seized the opportunity with nine points — including five attacks and a team-high four blocks.
Despite the personal milestone, Absin remains focused on the bigger picture.
“Siguro mas magiging composed namin yung next game. Hindi pa naman tapos yung laban eh, may isa pa,” said Absin. “So ‘yun, pagkatapos nga ng game agad kanina sabi ko, sige lang, may isa pa. May isa pa sa Saturday. So ngayon, balik ulit sa trabaho. Two days and all out sa training. Ayun, babawi ulit sa Sabado.”
Game 3 is set for Saturday still at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
With everything on the line, Orcullo and the Tamaraws know the mission: learn from the heartbreak, lean on each other — and leave it all on the floor.
#WATCH: “IF WE LOSE THE GAME, DON’T LOSE THE LESSON”
Eddieson Orcullo urges Charles Absin and the FEU Tamaraws to stay focused and fight on—Game 3 is just around the corner this Saturday 🏐
📹 @ErnestTuazon /Tiebreaker Times#UAAPSeason87 pic.twitter.com/jDTUJTuj8B
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) May 14, 2025
