After winding up on the wrong end of an upset before the Holy Week break at the hands of the Adamson Soaring Falcons, the National University Bulldogs recovered, taming the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 25-12, 19-25, 25-15, 25-20, at the FilOil Flying V Centre.
Although they gave up a set, the Bulldogs surrendered a season-low 14 errors, bucking their seven-errors-per-set average. They also tinkered with their starting lineup, starting Madzlan Gampong over fellow Tawi-Tawi native Fauzi Ismail.
“Marami kaming napag-usapan noong break. Talagang diniin namin ‘yung mga goals namin ngayong season tapos nagtraining kami,” said head coach Dante Alinsunurin.
Gampong tallied a game-high 21 points in his first match as a starter since the first round of Season 79. Bryan Bagunas added 19 markers to pace four Bulldogs in double-digit.
NU lorded it over UP in the blocking and serving department, pulling 24 combined points from both categories, while UP managed just 11.
Wendel Miguel topped the Maroons with 23 points off 19 attacks, three aces, and a block, while team captain Jerry San Pedro managed 13.
The Bulldogs (10-2) face the University of the East Red Warriors (0-11) on Sunday at the FilOil Flying V Centre. Meanwhile, the Fighting Maroons (3-9) have officially dropped off the Final Four race. They take on the De La Salle University Green Spikers (4-8) on Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Scores
NU (3) – Gampong 21, Bagunas 19, Saura 13, Malabunga 10, Natividad 10, Dayandante 2, Marcos (L)
UP (1) – Miguel 23, San Pedro 13, Millete 11, Castilo 5, Consuelo 3, San Pascual 2, Baldelovar 1, Acuna 0, Gohoc 0, Nasol (L)
