De La Salle University pulled off the mother of all upsets, stunning five-time defending champion National University in a five-set thriller, 19-25, 25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 15-10, for a massive confidence boost heading into the second round of the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Tournament on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Green Spikers have turned their season around after a disastrous 0-4 start, winning their last three matches to finish the first round tied for fourth and fifth places with the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
“Ang reminder ko lang sa team, play one game at a time. Sabi ko nga it doesn’t matter anong resulta ng game as long as we play hard and give our all. So far, nagbunga naman ‘yung resulta,” said La Salle head coach Jose Roque.
“Nandoon naman ‘yung faith ko sa team. Sabi ko nga, isa-isahin natin para may pacing.”
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The Bulldogs slipped to 5-2, tying them with the University of Santo Tomas Golden Spikers for second and third place.
Last season’s runner-up Far Eastern University, meanwhile, completed the first round undefeated with a 7-0 record.
With the Green Spikers ahead 10-7 in the deciding set, the Bulldogs turned to national team ace Leo Ordiales, who unleashed two straight attacks to trim the deficit to one, 9-10.
But seldom-used Yoyong Mendoza rose to the occasion, delivering three points in La Salle’s 5-1 finishing run, including the match-clinching hit, to seal the victory in two hours and two minutes.
Eugene Gloria and Issa Ousseini accounted for the other two points in that upset-completing surge.
It was also Mendoza who gave the Green Spikers a 2-1 set lead on an off-the-block kill, though the Bulldogs’ 13 errors in the third set ultimately proved costly.
“May expectation lang po sa amin sa second round ay ‘yung mas buo na Green Spikers and mas may kumpiyansa kasi di ba nga po shaky ang simula namin this season, ngayon nakukuha namin ‘yung groove namin,” said Mendoza, who finished with 11 points, including four in the fifth set.
Chris Hernandez once again led La Salle with 18 points, along with 12 receptions and eight digs, while Eugene Gloria added 14 points and 12 receptions.
Cameroonian middle blocker Issa Ousseini also played a crucial role with 14 points built on nine spikes, four blocks, and an ace.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Ordiales paced the Bulldogs with 22 points as NU dropped to 5-2, tying UST for second and third place.
Jade Disquitado contributed 18 points and 17 receptions, while Michaelo Buddin had 13 points and 12 receptions.
NU committed 38 errors in the match, slightly more than La Salle’s 36.
