NU Bulldogs during Game 1 of the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball Finals against FEU Tamaraws.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Five-peat-seeking National University gave Far Eastern University its flowers after pulling off a come-from-behind win in five sets in Game 1.
The Bulldogs, though, vowed to live another day and force a rubber match in the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball Finals on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.
SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 volleyball Finals
NU coach Dante Alinsunurin, Buds Buddin, and Leo Ordiales after losing Finals Game 1. #UAAPSeason87 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/tWZUydBk0G
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) May 11, 2025
NU blew a 2-1 match advantage as FEU unleashed a spirited comeback led by main scorer Dryx Saavedra and rookie Amet Bituin to inch a win closer from ending its opponents’ four-year title reign with a 22-25, 25-22, 13-25, 25-22, 15-13 win on Sunday before an ecstatic crowd of 5,405 at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Well, credit really goes to FEU. They worked hard, point by point, and we just couldn’t take control during the crucial moments,” said NU coach Dante Alinsunurin in Filipino.
“FEU’s lineup is very intact, mostly third- and fourth-year players. Their mindset really gave them an edge in Game 1.”
But Alinsunurin believes their Game 1 loss will make them stronger as they seek to keep the five-peat dream alive and avoid UST’s fate 13 years ago when FEU snapped the Golden Spikers’ reign from Seasons 70 to 73.
“We’re learning from these struggles, especially in must-win games. Losses like this can actually help us build a stronger program in NU, not just now, but for the future,” he said.
READ: UAAP: FEU nears men’s volleyball title, deals NU rare finals loss
“We’ll go over each mistake we made. Most of our unforced errors happened at the end of the sets. That’s where we fall apart. It’s really more of a mental thing, knowing how crucial every point is during the endgame. We just need to fix our mindset and stay steady but aggressive.”
Buds Buddin, who committed a crucial service error in the fifth set, urged the whole team to stay disciplined and play with togetherness.
“Losing hurts, but we need to shake it off because we still have a chance in Game 2. We need to stay more focused and prepare better,” said Buddin, who scored with 12 points despite playing through a right ankle sprain.
“We’re still confident because we know we can win. It’s just that after we dominated one set, we got too relaxed. That’s when FEU took the momentum. We need to fix that. We have to stay locked in even after winning a set.”
READ: UAAP men’s volleyball Finals preview: Talent-rich NU, FEU renew rivalry
Leo Ordiales, who led the Bulldogs with 23 points, also vowed to regroup and work on what they missed in Game 1.
“We’ll start again by focusing on personal discipline and just get back to work. Keep moving forward,” he said.
NU may have dropped Game 1, but Alinsunurin was happy to see the continuous growth of Philippine men’s volleyball with a good Game 1 crowd, promising a better showing on Wednesday.
“Hopefully, this continues, especially for men’s volleyball, because let’s be honest, it doesn’t usually get packed crowds. But maybe this is the start. We’re seeing not just more fans, but also a higher level of competition in the UAAP. I’m really thankful for the support, not just for NU or FEU, but for the whole league,” said the longtime NU coach.
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