ICYMI | FEU outlasts gritty ADMU in 5; NU sets up UAAP men’s volley finals after clobbering UST

The Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws and National University (NU) Bulldogs are set to meet in a high-stakes UAAP men’s volleyball finals rematch, with the Tamaraws engineering a spectacular tailspin past the tough-gutted Ateneo Blue Eagles squad in a five-set thriller and the Bulldogs thumping the UST Golden Spikers at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, April 29.

Snaring their back-to-back Finals trip, FEU absorbed their early struggles and regrouped when it mattered most, outlasting the iron-willed Ateneo after eking out a valiant 25–23, 20–25, 15–25, 25–17, 15–12 comeback.

With their backs turned against the wall, Tamaraw ace Amet Bituin—who earned the ‘Player of the Game’ nod—emerged as the X-factor his team needed after pacing their offensive charge during crunch time, uncorking multiple clutch hits to retain their finals ticket.

Both crews surged with a strong start, exchanging blows throughout the opening frame, but a Bituin-Amet Miguel connivance on both ends of the taraflex enabled the green-and-gold spikers to draw first blood.

Flipping the script, the Katipunan-based troops extinguished the Tamaraw’s fire early on as they flaunted their offensive assault to bulldoze through the wretched inside defense of FEU, overwhelming the Tamaraws in the second and third frames.

However, the Morayta-based squad were able to reignite their flame.

FEU blitzed through the Blue Eagles in the fourth canto, gaining a steady nine-point cushion, 17–8, securing the much-needed frame to commence their reverse tailspin and force a do-or-die set.

The Tamaraws relied on a personal Dryx Saavedra barrage and Ateneo’s reception woes to propel them en route to a 12–8 lead, though the Blue Eagles kept themselves at striking distance by creating a 3–0 run of their own.

Bituin, the star of FEU, unleashed three consecutive hits in the payoff period, slamming the doors on Ateneo after a thrilling two-hour, two-minute wringer.

Saavedra paced the Tamaraws with 14 points, with Bituin harvesting 12 points of his own off 11 spikes and a block to lead the team.

Ateneo’s Aimar Okeke delivered a masterclass of 24 points from 22 attacks and two blocks, but it was not enough to deepen the Blue Eagles’ playoff run.

NU’s all-around dominance vs UST

Defending champion NU Bulldogs kept its six-peat bid alive after trouncing the UST Golden Spikers via a resounding 25–21, 30–28, 25–19 sweep to set up a rematch against the FEU Tamaraws in the upcoming UAAP men’s volleyball finals.

Cementing their dominance on the floor, the Bulldogs are now back in the championship stage for the 11th time as they eliminated the Golden Spikers for four consecutive seasons since Season 85.

The Jhocson-based squad capitalized on UST’s error-plagued opening set, with the España-based crew committing 10 costly unforced errors, giving NU the first frame.

Though UST overcame a 19–14 gap via a crucial 10–5 blitz to knot the score at 24-all, the Golden Spikers let victory slip through their fingers after an Obed Mukaba hit and a costly UST miscue handed the Bulldogs the second frame.

From there on, UST was unable to bounce back altogether as their disheartening fate was sealed, with NU moving towards the UAAP men’s volleyball finals.

NU’s Buds Buddin paved the way to triumph with 19 points and 18 receptions, all of which the blue-and-white squad ultimately needed to seal their finals berth.

Gboy de Vega paced the team with 14 points, 14 receptions, and one dig, but it was not enough to move forward, settling with a bronze medal to cap off their UAAP S88 men’s volleyball run.

With all eyes set on the FEU Tamaraws’ and NU Bulldogs’ clash, both squads vie to unleash their A-game in the best-of-three finals series, as NU aims to defend their title while FEU attempts to reclaim their spot at the golden path.