Marck Jesus Espejo saved the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles from dire straits and almost singlehandedly erased the Far Eastern Univesity Tamaraws’ twice-to-beat advantage, 18-25, 25-13, 24-26, 25-23, 15-9 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Espejo cobbled together a UAAP-record 55 points, breaking his own 39-point record set earlier this season. He was also the only Blue Eagle in double-digits.
FEU came out firing, siphoning most of their attacks through the middle. The Tamaraws took a 19-11 lead and weathered a late Ateneo storm to take the first set. Ateneo made adjustments in the second frame. Four-time Most Valuable Player Marck Espejo took over as Ateneo’s opposite hitter. The Marikina native went on to score 11 points in the second frame, which quickly turned into an Ateneo rout.
The Blue Eagles had early control of the third set, leading 14-10. A slew of Ateneo errors allowed the Tamaraws slowly crawl back, eventually taking the lead , 22-21, after Redijohn Paler blocked Espejo. The league’s Best Attacker kept Ateneo in a deuce, but the Tamaraws eventually clinched the 2-1 sets lead after JP Bugaoan roofed Janjan Rivera for set point.
Ateneo looked rickety in the fourth set, but Espejo kept swinging. The Blue Eagles saw a 22-18 lead dissolve into a one-point gap, 23-22. Espejo, however, buoyed the Blue Eagles, scoring at every opportunity to extend the match to a decider.
A 4-1 Ateneo storm greeted the fifth frame, with Espejo dishing out three attacks. With each Espejo attack popping the Ateneo faithful, the Tamaraws stayed brave. FEU eventually got within one, 7-8, following a Bugaoan quick. But Espejo would not be denied, finishing his career performance with a flourish of hits.
“FEU has incredible youth and tenacity. I just told my players na we don’t need fantastic, we just need execution,” said Ateneo head coach Oliver Almadro.
“I commend my players, I commend my seniors kasi pinakita talaga nila na they didn’t want their season to end today,” an exhausted Almadro declared.
Jude Garcia and JP Bugaoan each tallied 15 points for the Tamaraws, who failed to capitalize on Ateneo’s 34 errors.
The do-or-die match will be on Wednesday at the FilOil Flying V Centre.
The Scores
ADMU (3) – Espejo 55, Rivera 8, Glorioso 6, Medalla 5, Njigha 5, Polvorosa 2, Baysa 1, Morado 0, Trinidad 0, Sumanguid (L)
FEU (2) – Bugaoan 15, Garcia 15, Paler 12, Quiel 8, Suarez 7, Solis 5, Barrica 0, Bautista 0, Silang 0, Marmeto (L)
