Dryx Saavedra rose to the occasion while Amet Bituin lived up to his name as Far Eastern University moved one win away from ending a nine-season championship drought in the UAAP Men’s Volleyball tournament.
The Tamaraws overcame a shaky third set and displayed nerves of steel to stun the four-time defending champions, National University Bulldogs, in a thrilling five-setter, 22-25, 25-22, 13-25, 25-22, 15-13, in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 87 Finals on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The gutsy come-from-behind win not only pushed FEU closer to its 26th men’s volleyball crown but also dealt NU its first Finals loss since Season 79, when Ateneo de Manila University completed a tournament sweep.
Since then, the Bulldogs have won four consecutive championships with eight straight victories in the Finals.
Now just one win away from ending their title drought, the Tamaraws will aim to close it out and capture their first championship since Season 74 (2012) on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Meanwhile, NU, aiming to become the first team in the Final Four era to win five straight titles, is now in a do-or-die situation for the second time this season. The Bulldogs survived the Final Four by outlasting the University of Santo Tomas last Wednesday.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Adjustments siguro, yun ang pinaka tingin kong meron kami doon sa situation kanina. Yung fifth set talagang less errors siguro, talagang dapat male-less mo ‘yung errors or kung kayang wala siguro mas maganda,” said FEU head coach Eddieson Orcullo after the two-hour and 31-minute showdown witnessed by over 5,000 fans inside the historic Big Dome.
“Gutom kami. ‘Yung gutom kasi minsan ang daming nagagawang alam mo yung preparation kung paano mo gagawin, kung talagang gusto mo yung isang bagay. Yun nga ang usapan namin na pilitin nating kunin kasi prepared naman tayo sa lahat ng mangyayari,” he added.
The fifth set was as tight as it gets, where even a single error could shift the momentum drastically.
Fortunately for FEU, NU faltered under pressure, committing three costly errors while trailing by just one, 10-11.
NU head coach Dante Alinsunurin rolled the dice by inserting seldom-used setter Jeffe Gallego and spiker Jan Abanilla for Greg Ancheta and Leo Ordiales, but the gamble backfired.
Gallego sent a serve into the antenna, and Abanilla followed with a miscue that failed to clear the net, giving FEU a 13-10 cushion.
Still battling through a right ankle sprain, Michaelo Buddin pulled one back with a clever drop shot, followed by an Ancheta dump ball off a misreceived play to trim the deficit to 12-13. But once again, an error proved costly.
Buddin’s serve sailed out, handing FEU match point at 14-12. Jade Disquitado tried to keep NU alive with a powerful kill, 13-14, but it was the rookie Bituin who sealed the win with a spike that deflected off Ancheta’s hands to give the Tamaraws a 1-0 series lead.
The victory also served as sweet revenge for FEU after NU denied them an outright Finals berth with a five-set win in the elimination round, 25-17, 21-25, 25-17, 14-25, 15-9.
“Sa akin kasi kanina, nag-commit lang talaga ako sa team and sabi ko lahat ng ibibigay sa akin dapat pusuan ko kasi ‘yun ‘yung usapan namin nung mga nakaraang araw, lahat ng gagawin mo isapuso mo,” said Bituin, who sparkled with 16 points off 13-of-24 attacks and three blocks.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
NU appeared to take control after dominating the third set, 25-13, but FEU showed composure and grit in the fourth, thanks to the relentless efforts of Saavedra, Bituin, and Lirick Mendoza.
Saavedra led all scorers with 25 points built on 21 kills, three blocks, and an ace. Mikko Espartero also stepped up with 10 points and 26 excellent receptions, complementing libero Vennie Ceballos’ 20 excellent receptions out of 27 attempts and 14 digs in 30 tries.
Ordiales continued to be NU’s scoring leader, setting a new career-high for the second straight game with 23 points on 22 spikes and a block. Disquitado added 17 points, 17 receptions, and eight digs.
Buddin contributed 12 points, while Peng Taguibolos chipped in nine markers, including four blocks.
#WATCH: Eddieson Orcullo beams with pride as Amet Bituin, Dryx Saavedra, Ariel Cacao, and the FEU Tamaraws held firm in deep waters against NU in Game 1 of the #UAAPSeason87 Finals 🏐
📹 @ernesttuazon /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/ntVFdtF3t2
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) May 11, 2025
