For the 10th consecutive season, National University is heading to the UAAP Men’s Volleyball Finals.
Needing the full extent of their twice-to-beat advantage, the second-seeded Bulldogs leaned on the clutch performances of Leo Ordiales and Jade Disquitado to sweep University of Santo Tomas Golden Spikers, 25-23, 25-23, 25-23, and secure a spot in the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Volleyball Finals, Wednesday afternoon at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
NU bounced back from a stunning four-set loss last Saturday to clinch their 10th straight Finals appearance — breaking UST’s previous record of nine consecutive Finals trips from Seasons 57 to 65.
This milestone sets a new benchmark for the longest Finals streak in UAAP men’s volleyball history.
With this achievement, the Bulldogs also matched De La Salle University’s women’s volleyball team for the longest Finals streak in UAAP collegiate volleyball history, both now with 10 straight appearances.
NU also assured that its men’s and women’s teams are in the Finals, staying on track for a golden double for the second time in the last three seasons.
Familiar heartbreak struck UST once again, as NU eliminated the Golden Spikers for the third consecutive year — a continuation of their dominance after dashing UST’s championship hopes in the Finals of Seasons 85 and 86. The victory keeps NU’s bid for a historic “five-peat” alive.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“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, who powered NU with 20 points on 19-of-30 attack efficiency.
In the third set, UST remained within striking distance as two straight hits from Gboy de Vega and Al Bukharie Sali tied the frame at 21-all, but NU remained composed. Still knotted at 23-all after a Greg Ancheta double contact violation, Buds Buddin and Disquitado converted the game-sealing attacks to send the Bulldogs to their 10th consecutive Finals trip.
Down at 21-23 in the second set, NU unleashed a 4-0 run — capped by an off-the-block hit from Buddin, a Choi Diao block on Josh Ybañez, and an attack error from De Vega — paved the way for the Bulldogs to build a two-set advantage.
The win sets the stage for a best-of-three Finals showdown between the Bulldogs and top-ranked Far Eastern University Tamaraws — a highly anticipated rematch of their Season 81 title clash — starting this Sunday at 1:00 PM, back at the Big Dome.
“Sobrang thankful ako sa binigay na panalo sa akin ng players ko. Ang ganda ng ginawa namin. Kaya siguro namin nakuha yung game na ito siguro dahil sa pagplano talaga kung ano dapat yung gawin, especially sa match-ups talaga since doon kami nagkaproblema nung first game namin against UST,” Bulldogs head coach Dante Alinsunurin said.
Disquitado provided 14 points on 13 attacks with 11 excellent receptions. Buddin made a triumphant return from a two-game absence due to a right ankle sprain, tallying seven points and nine excellent receptions.
Ancheta dished out 18 excellent sets, while Jimwell Gapultos contributed nine excellent receptions.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
On the other hand, the loss denied UST’s attempt to exorcise the ghosts of the past two UAAP seasons, settling for a bronze-medal finish for the first time since Season 77 in 2015.
Ybañez paced the Golden Spikers in the loss with 13 points, 13 excellent receptions, and five excellent digs. De Vega capped off his Season 87 stint with 11 points and 16 excellent receptions.
Trevor Valera contributed nine points on seven attacks and two blocks, while Jay Rack De La Noche chipped in eight points.
