Having competed at the professional level, the Far Eastern University (FEU) DN-Steel Ultras deemed their 2024 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference campaign as a remarkable chance for growth in preparation for the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP), finishing at fourth overall last December 15 at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City. 

“Itong league na ‘to, hindi talaga ‘yun ‘yung mother league namin, pero tinry namin makipagsabayan sa mga malalakas na team kaya napakalaking opportunity sa’min para mag-grow as a player at para mag-mature in each game na lalaruin namin, lalo na sa UAAP (This league isn't really our mother league, but we tried to compete with the stronger teams. That's why this is a huge opportunity for us to grow as players and mature with every game, especially in the UAAP),” team captain Jelord Talisayan said in an interview with FEU Advocate.

The Tamaraws finished the elimination round with an impressive 7-2 record, losing only to the Cignal HD Spikers and Criss Cross King Crunchers, which earned them a spot in the semifinals as the only collegiate team to advance.

In their first semifinal match, the Morayta-based squad faced the King Crunchers once again, which was led by Most Valuable Player and FEU assistant coach Jude Garcia. Despite their efforts, the Tamaraws struggled to find their rhythm and lost in straight sets, 21-25, 21-25, 11-25.

Following their opening loss, DN Steel faced the HD Spikers, another team featuring alumni standouts Mark Calado, Kris Cian Silang, Martin and John Paul Bugaoan, and Vince Lorenzo. The Tamaraws were overpowered in another set sweep, 21-25, 21-25, 20-25.

Fortunately, the green-and-gold squad bounced back against the guest team, KondohGumi Hyogo, with a commanding 25-17, 25-13, 25-18 finish.

However, in their final semifinal match, the Tamaraws faced the Savouge Spin Doctors and struggled to build momentum, 17-25, 22-25, 19-25.

DN Steel once again battled hard against the Spin Doctors in their December 15 battle-for-bronze match but fell short in four sets, 21-25, 25-16, 14-25, 17-25, ultimately settling for fourth place. 

Despite the loss, FEU’s Dryx Saavedra earned the Best Opposite Hitter award after accumulating  133 points in the elimination, 49 in the semifinals, and 16 in the bronze medal match, placing second in the Best Scorers category and third in the Best Spikers ranking.

The opposite hitter also expressed his elation and eagerness to perform even better in future matches.

“Siyempre, masaya, kasi another achievement for me ngayong taon lalo sa ganito kalaking league na kalaban namin mga kuya at mismong coaches namin (Of course, I’m happy, because it’s another achievement for me this year, especially in such a big league where our opponents are older players and even our coaches),” Saavedra shared.

Acknowledging the challenges of balancing academics and sports during finals week, Talisayan commended the green-and-gold squad’s determination.

“Sobrang proud ako. From the rookies up to the seniors, alam ko [na] pinaghirapan namin lahat… Kahit anong mangyari, nasa mindset namin na lalaban at lalaban pa rin kami (I'm so proud. From the rookies to the seniors, I know we all worked hard... No matter what happens, we had the mindset that we would fight and keep fighting),” he shared.

However, Talisayan and Saavedra both stressed the importance of addressing technical lapses, such as blocking and serving, and enhancing their mental and physical readiness for future games.

“Kailangan namin i-improve pa ‘yung plays namin, kaya pag-iigihan pa namin lalo na sa mga training (We need to improve our plays more, so we will work harder especially in training),” Talisayan noted.

Cignal emerged victorious as champions, while Criss Cross secured the silver medal. 

The FEU Tamaraws are gearing up for the return of UAAP Season 87 next year.

- Aine Peralta
(Photo courtesy of Spikers’ Turf)