Rivalry games between Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University are always special, but some carry a weight that transcends pride.
Moments after the Blue Eagles dispatched the Green Spikers in straight sets on Saturday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre, captain Jian Salarzon and outside hitter Kennedy Batas shared an emotional embrace on the floor. Tears flowed freely as years of shared frustration finally gave way to relief.
By toppling La Salle, Ateneo solidified its grip on fourth place in the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Tournament, moving within a single victory of its first Final Four appearance since Season 81.
This win does more than put a three-year streak of fifth-place finishes on the brink of ending; it carries a poetic sting. The Blue Eagles have all but pushed the Green Spikers — the very team that repeatedly denied them a postseason spot during that stretch — out of semifinal contention, making their potential return to the big stage even sweeter.
“Ako, personally, mina-mindset ko talaga since after nung game namin ng UP na kailangan kong mag-all out — kailangan kong magbuhos ng lahat para sa team para ma-secure namin yung spot sa Final Four,” said Salarzon, who led Ateneo with 21 points off 20 attacks and a single block.
“’Yun nga, kanina, nung ‘di pa tapos yung game, nakita ko kasi si Kennedy na parang naiiyak na. So sabi ko sa kanya, ‘Wait lang, ‘wag muna. Tapusin muna natin.’ So ayun. Nung natapos namin yung game na 25 na, parang ‘di ko rin mapigilan kasi gustong-gusto ko talagang manalo kalaban ang La Salle.”
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Unlike their first-round encounter, where the Green Spikers nearly pulled off a reverse sweep, the Blue Eagles left no room for doubt this time, finishing the job in straight sets.
For Ateneo, this matchup had long been circled on the calendar since their first meeting, with the team viewing a win over their archrival as the catalyst for a return to the semifinals.
Blue Eagles head coach Vince Mangulabnan admitted that while the squad prepared for other opponents, they consistently set aside time to review film from their previous five-set thriller against the Green Spikers.
That meticulous preparation paid off handsomely, as Ateneo looked fully calibrated to dismantle La Salle’s game plan.
“Sobrang proud ako sa team,” said Salarzon. “Sobrang thankful din ako sa mga coaches kasi, ‘yun nga, lahat ng nilaro namin nung game na ‘yun ay yung mga turo talaga ng mga coaches; sa sistema lang namin. ‘Yun lang sinasabi ni Coach na kailangan lang talaga naming sumunod sa sistema, and the rest will follow.”
The equation is simple: one more win for the Blue Eagles seals their entry into the Final Four. Up next for Ateneo is a clash against University of the East next Saturday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion. On paper, Ateneo should prevail against a team carrying a 2-9 record.
However, with destiny within reach, Salarzon emphasized that the Blue Eagles won’t take the Red Warriors lightly.
“Sa training, especially yung mga coaches namin, lagi silang nagre-remind na ‘wag maging complacent, and yung kalaban is kalaban pa rin ‘yan—maglalaban pa rin ‘yan sa laro,” said the 22-year-old opposite spiker.
“Sa mga teammates ko naman, kailangan talaga sumunod sa sinasabi ng coaches namin at i-apply lang namin yung tinuturo nila sa amin sa susunod na games namin.”
#WATCH: ONE LAST PUSH 🦅
Vince Mangulabnan, Jian Salarzon, and Aimar Okeke share their thoughts on Ateneo’s big win over La Salle that put them in a prime position in the #UAAPSeason88 Final Four race 🏐#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/RyDHVKQrih
📹 @ErnestTuazon /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/EXxfB5AfAd
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) April 11, 2026
