Leo Ordiales may have exited the SMART Araneta Coliseum as the hero who powered National University to its 10th consecutive UAAP Men’s Volleyball Finals appearance, but the 22-year-old outside hitter’s path has been anything but smooth.
Following a stunning four-set loss to University of Santo Tomas Golden Spikers last Saturday, the Bulldogs’ rare “five-peat” bid was on the brink — and so was Ordiales’ first-ever UAAP Finals stint.
Though he stood out with 15 points on 14 attacks in the surprising defeat, Ordiales faced an emotional uphill battle as NU’s bid for a decade-long Finals streak teetered on the edge.
“Para sa akin kasi kagabi, nahihirapan ako matulog talaga kasi ang dami ko iniisip. Iniisip ko na lang na maging positive lagi para hindi ako mahirapan sa laro. Kumbaga, nae-excite ako pero kinakalmahan ko lang, at buti naman, nailabas ko kung ano yung laro ko talaga,” Ordiales said.
“Nung pagkatalo kasi namin, nag-reset lang kami, trabaho na talaga, at all-out na ulit. Parang iniisip ko kasi na magiging kwento na lang ba kami o gagawa ba kami ng kwento?” he added.
Determined not to let his team’s legacy end on a loss, Ordiales quickly regrouped and led the charge as NU swept UST in dominant fashion. In doing so, the Bulldogs not only revived their “five-peat” aspirations but also etched their names deeper into the UAAP history books.
Fueled by Ordiales’ 20-point eruption in just three sets, NU clinched its 10th straight Finals appearance — breaking UST’s previous record of nine consecutive Finals trips from Seasons 57 to 65. The Bulldogs now hold the longest Finals streak in UAAP men’s volleyball history.
This feat also ties them with the De La Salle University Lady Spikers, who own the longest Finals streak in UAAP women’s volleyball history with 10 consecutive appearances.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Yung mindset ko, talagang nung natalo kasi kami noon, lugmok talaga kami ‘eh. Pero ayon nga, sabi nga ng mga coaches namin, wala nang time para magdrama pa kasi ilang araw na lang ‘eh,” Ordiales shared.
“After nung talo, balik agad kami sa trabaho talaga. Pinag-aralan namin yung galaw talaga kaya thankful ako nakuha namin yung panalo.”
No one was prouder than head coach Dante Alinsunurin, who praised Ordiales for stepping up not only to deliver NU’s first do-or-die Final Four victory since Season 79, but also to fill the shoes of the recovering Buds Buddin.
While Buddin returned from a two-game absence due to a right ankle sprain, Alinsunurin lauded how Ordiales shouldered both the offensive load and leadership mantle — guiding NU back to a familiar place: a best-of-three championship series against top-seeded Far Eastern University, starting Sunday, May 11, at the same Cubao venue.
“Sa akin, sa wakas, yung mga ganitong laro yung hinahanap namin sa kanya every time na naglalaro kami. Alam namin yung kapabilidad niya para maglaro; the way kami mag-practice, the way kami magpunta sa ibang bansa kasi alam namin na marami siyang mabibigay sa amin at malaking tulong siya sa loob ng court,” said Alinsunurin.
Now the spotlight is on Ordiales as NU prepares for a Finals showdown against the Tamaraws. But even amid the rising expectations, he remains focused and grounded in their mission to achieve an unprecedented fifth consecutive championship in UAAP men’s volleyball history.
“Siguro less muna ako sa expectations para hindi ako mapressure. Laruin ko lang ulit kung paano yung kinikilos ko. Huwag lang marami iniisip para makaperform pa rin.”
#WATCH: Buds Buddin is back just when the Bulldogs needed him most — and he’s making every moment count 🏐
📹 @ErnestTuazon /Tiebreaker Times#UAAPSeason87 pic.twitter.com/bWlUSKOXJ4
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) May 7, 2025
