Placed in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable position with their backs against the wall for the first time in their four-season reign, the National University Bulldogs responded the way champions should.
Composed and focused, the Bulldogs proved their championship pedigree in the winner-take-all Game 3 of the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Volleyball Finals, showing exactly what experience at the highest level looks like.
NU extended its dominance in the division by taking a fifth consecutive crown via a 25-16, 28-26, 25-23 win over Far Eastern University, Saturday afternoon in front of a division record 14,517 fans inside the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Their titles in Seasons 80, 81, 85, and 86 were all captured via two-game sweeps, making this their first do-or-die Finals series in this run. The Bulldogs became the first team in the Final Four era in the collegiate ranks to collect five consecutive golds.
This hard-fought three-game series win completed NU’s second consecutive golden double after its women’s team won the crown last Wednesday against De La Salle University.
“Sobrang thankful kasi sa series na ito, ito yung pinakaexperience ko na sobrang ganda nung series. Talagang Game 1 at Game 2, dikdikan talaga. Ngayon siguro, mas nangibabaw yung experience namin sa Finals,” said Bulldogs head coach and now seven-time champion Dante Alinsunurin.
(“I’m very thankful because in this series, this was my most beautiful experience. In Games 1 and 2, it was really tight. Now maybe, our experience in the Finals prevailed.”)
This title is NU’s eighth this season after also reigning in women’s volleyball, women’s basketball, women’s beach volleyball, men’s tennis, men’s badminton, baseball, and women’s taekwondo kyorugi.
FEU took Game 1 in come-from-behind fashion last Sunday, 22-25, 25-22, 13-25, 25-22, 15-13, before NU retaliated with a 25-20, 22-25, 25-15, 18-25, 15-11 win last Wednesday.
But the Bulldogs refused to enter extended play this time around.
After a lopsided first set, NU looked to be in a comfortable position in the second with a 20-12 advantage, but FEU showed its ‘Be Brave’ mentality by clawing back and even taking three set points.
However, Jade Disquitado emerged off the bench and grabbed the spotlight, drilling three straight points to overhaul a 25-26 count and give the Bulldogs a 2-0 set advantage.
Then NU became the comeback kids in the third, rallying back from down 19-21 with four consecutive hits for the 23-21 margin.
Although rookie Luis Miguel managed to get a point back for the Tamaraws, he committed a costly service error that gave the Bulldogs the 24-22 championship point.
Amet Bituin tried to give life to FEU with a spike down the line, but NU graduating team captain Leo Aringo ended the game with a smart swipe off the hands of the blockers for the crown – NU’s seventh title overall.
“Ayokong maging emotional ngayon kasi hindi pa talag nagsi-sync in yung pagiging champion namin. Sobrang thankful ako na nag graduate ako na nagawa yung history na sinimulan ng seniors namin. Ever since na nagchampion yung NU, sila ang nagbigay ng magandang programa sa amin. Kung ano man ang nakukuha namin ngayon, utang na loob namin sa mga nagtrabaho dati,” said Finals MVP Aringo, who had nine points, 10 excellent receptions, and four digs.
(“I don’t want to be emotional now because the feeling of being champions hasn’t really sunk in yet. I’m very thankful that I graduated having made the history that our seniors started. Ever since NU became champions, they have given us a great program. Whatever we are getting now, it’s a debt of gratitude to those who worked before us.)
Leo Ordiales led the Bulldogs with 13 points while Peng Taguibolos had 10 points on five attacks and five blocks.
NU did not need to score much as FEU handed the points to them, committing 27 errors in the match that lasted just one hour and 36 minutes.
Michaelo Buddin, who played hurt the entire series, nursing a sprained right ankle, added nine points and 11 receptions as well.
Dryx Saavedra was a one-man show for the Tamaraws, unleashing 24 big points on 21-of-35 spikes and three blocks, but the next highest scorer was Miguel with eight points.
FEU’s high-scoring rookies Amet Bituin and Mikko Espartero were well-checked by NU, held to just four and two points, respectively.