Dryx Saavedra carried the scoring attacks for Far Eastern University (FEU) ‘to rally his team to a five-set victory over defending champion National University (NU) on May 11 and a 1-0 lead in the best-of-3 finals in the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball.

FEU could close out the series and take the crown from NU on Wednesday, May 13, in Game 2 at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. It also moves one step closer to ending a nine-season championship drought.

Saavedra produced 23 out of his 25 points from attacks against NU, the league’s second-best blocking team, in Sunday’s clash at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

“For me personally, it’s a good thing that I was able to think clearly, I know NU is the [second] best blocking team so it’s good the way of attacking I thought of was effective, as well as in our defense,” he said in Filipino during the post-match interview.

Team-mate Amet Bituin shone under the bright lights, showing no signs of jitters after pumping 16 points in his first Finals appearance in the collegiate level.

“I really want to thank the Lord for allowing this win to happen to us,” Bituin said. “I really just committed myself to the team; that’s why I really poured my heart out in every set that was given to me.”

Freshman Leo Ordiales anchored NU’s offense, tallying 23 points, with Jade Disquitado backstopping with 17.

Digging deeper

In a battle that went the distance, FEU head coach Eddieson Orcullo and his squad had to dig deep in order to edge out their opponent bent on getting a fifth title.

“We are hungry. Hunger [for the title] sometimes has a lot to do with how you prepare to achieve something. Me, the boys, and even the coaches talked about getting this win because we really prepared for it,” Orcullo said in Filipino.

He praised his team’s ability to bounce back from 33 errors, a point shy from NU’s, and pull out a tight win. “In the fifth set if you can lessen your errors, or even no errors is better,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Conceding a 22-25 opening set, the Tamaraws escaped in the close second frame with a spike from Saavedra igniting a 4-2 charge to bring FEU to set point, 24-22. The standout pummeled FEU’s final point to even the match at one set apiece.

NU struck back in the third right from a point from Ordiales to mount an early five-point lead that exploded to 12 to go up 2-1.

Decider set

FEU gained just enough separation in the fourth, with a power tip from Mikko Espartero putting the Morayta-based squad ahead, 8-3. The late run from the Bulldogs saw the gap shrink to two, 16-18, before an error from Ancheta lifted the Tamaraws to a point away from a decider set.

Buddin saved NU two match points, but his effort proved futile after Ordiales sent the ball straight into the net from the service line. A back-and-forth final set ensued until strikes from Bituin and Saavedra gave FEU breathing space down the stretch, 9-7.

Costly errors from Jeffe Gallego and Jan Abanilla pushed NU deeper in the hole, with a misfire from Buddin at the service line tipping FEU toward match point, 14-12.
Disquitado extended the battle to one more play before Bituin soared and landed the killing blow against the defending champions.

Prepping to close the series on Wednesday, FEU coach Orcullo has a few ideas in mind on how they will stay consistent.

“Maybe we won’t sleep until Wednesday. Maybe we won’t take a bath as well so the luck stays in our bodies,” he said in jest.

Turning serious, Orcullo said he has no plans on slowing down. “Whatever happens on Wednesday, we will put the work in.”

Getting groove back

For NU, it’s all about getting its groove back after a narrow loss despite dominating the first and third sets. “There’s still another game, what’s important is that we have to take this loss and we’ll be complete in the next one,” its head coach Dante Alinsunurin said in Filipino.

Alinsunurin gave credit to FEU’s stand and acknowledged that this loss is what builds the team up to return stronger.

“[To lose,] it’s part of the game. In order to improve we have to see what we are struggling with during the most important games, where we get the twice-to-beat but we have to fight in a do-or-die situation, this is what makes us tougher so that our program grows not only now, but in our next games.”

Buddin, who contributed 10 markers despite a right foot sprain, remained hopeful for his team. “We still have confidence because we’ve seen that we can do it,” he said. “We really just had lapses, like after we became dominant during that set, we became too relaxed. That’s probably why FEU gained momentum.”

While admitting the pain of defeat, he knows that the Bulldogs can bounce back as they regroup before game day starts again.

Read more: NU stages dramatic comeback vs FEU for a reappearance at the finals