By: Justine Anne Gaerlan
Far Eastern University-Diliman made an early statement in the UAAP Season 89 High School Boys’ Volleyball Tournament, sweeping defending champion University of the East, 25-19, 25-19, 25-16, on Saturday at the Paco Arena in Manila.
The victory marked a new chapter for the Baby Tamaraws, who entered the season without major contributors from their Season 88 campaign, including Best Setter Brix Landicho and Second Best Middle Blocker Ron Andrei De Vera.
FEU-D still has Season 87 Rookie of the Year Kenneth Maliwanag, along with team captain Alwyn Abujen and Tyler Ramos as part of its key holdovers.
With Maliwanag leading the returning core, FEU-D took a two-set advantage before pulling away in the third, using a 7-3 run to create separation. Maliwanag and Ahmad Korooshavi continued to find openings in the UE defense, while the Junior Warriors struggled to manufacture points outside of Baby Tamaraw errors.
FEU-D’s cushion eventually grew to 21-13 before UE managed to cut the deficit to five. The Baby Tamaraws, however, answered with four straight points, highlighted by a Korooshavi attack, back-to-back tips from Maliwanag, and a combined block from Samuel Hopkins and Korooshavi to close out the set.
“Actually, we have prepared for this. Last year, syempre may heartaches kami because of what happened… but we prepared for this. Actually, sinabi ko sa mga bata na ang mindset namin is to win the match para kahit papaano, yung kumpiyansa namin ay tumaas. Kaya lang, unpredictable pa rin yung mga games kasi ang dami pa eh,” said FEU-D head coach Rene Dulay. “Very thankful kami kasi nag-step up ‘yung second group. So we’re hoping, and ‘yung mindset namin is to win more matches.”
Now with a deeper rotation and an opening-day win over the defending champions under their belt, FEU-D has given itself an early boost in a tournament Dulay expects to remain wide open.
“Stronger yung bench namin right now, ‘yung second group ko. Kasi last year, unang pasok namin, wala pa kaming one year doon sa team and ang inaayos namin is ‘yung chemistry namin, ‘di pa ganun ka-built up… We have a stronger second group, and sana magtuloy-tuloy kasi it’s anybody’s ball game kasi ang haba pa ng tournament… so sana makeep-up namin yung ganung momentum with the team,” he said.
Maliwanag topped the Baby Tamaraws with 19 points, with 15 coming off attacks and four from blocks, along with six excellent digs. Korooshavi was right behind with nine points, including eight attacks in the 67-minute match.
Karch Carolino ran the offense with 17 excellent sets, while Samuel Coronel anchored their defense with 14 excellent receptions on 17 attempts.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
UE’s Jack Parde put up a team-high eight points, seven of them off attacks along with an ace in the defeat.
Later in the day, University of Santo Tomas survived a back-and-forth five-set battle against last season’s first runners-up National University-Nazareth School, 25-22, 17-25, 25-17, 27-29, 18-16, to open its Season 89 campaign on a high note.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
With Season 88 MVP Rainier Lorayes among its key departures, UST leaned on returning second Best Outside Spiker Karl Escobal as the two sides battled through a tight fifth set.
Ronnie Milan put NUNS at match point with a kill, only for Escobal to answer with one of his own and force a 14-all deadlock. The two sides traded points again until Al Raquib Dais and Bernard Capuno exchanged attacks to level the score at 16-all. Dais then sent his next attempt wide, handing the Junior Golden Spikers match point before Ivo Bucaya finished the match with an ace.
“Siyempre, eager kaming manalo ngayong [season] kasi ‘yung nawala sa amin last year na, sinabi ko nga sa mga bata na sila ‘yung team na nagpawala sa atin sa finals. Sana ma-recover namin ‘yun, tanggalin ‘yung fear sa kanila. Dapat tuloy-tuloy ‘yung galaw natin na maayos,” said UST head coach Clarence Esteban.
“Mas tight kami ngayon, pero siyempre na-instill na sa kanila [like] last year sina Karla [Escobal], mga baguhan natin ‘yan. This year kasi, na-instill na namin sa kanila ‘yung mga system na gusto namin mangyari, kung ano ‘yung mga dapat nilang gagawin, so mas ready kami ngayon compared to last year,” he added.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
The Junior Golden Spikers drew 21-point performances from Escobal and Capuno, as Escobal finished with 18 attacks and three blocks and Capuno produced 18 attacks, two blocks, and an ace. Escobal further contributed 26 excellent receptions on 34 attempts in a match that lasted two hours and four minutes.
Chester Esteban orchestrated the offense with 31 excellent sets, while Carl Detoyato anchored the defensive effort with 10 excellent digs and 14 excellent receptions on 22 attempts.
Millan and Dais led NUNS’ scoring effort in the loss with 19 and 16 points, respectively.
