By Dwyane Harry L. Cabrera
Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws capped off their V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge 2026 campaign with a silver-medal finish and multiple individual recognitions after competing in the tournament from August 15 to October 11 at the Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong City and Playtime FilOil Centre in San Juan City.
Fresh off their Finals appearance in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88, the green-and-gold squad carried their momentum into the tournament, sweeping Mapúa University, Arellano University, De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, and Colegio de San Juan de Letran in straight sets.
The Tamaraws also displayed resilience in hard-fought five-set victories over De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) and National University (NU), bouncing back from 1-2 set deficits to secure crucial wins against both squads.
FEU dominated the elimination round, finishing with an unblemished 7-0 record to claim the top seed and an outright semifinal berth.
The Morayta-based squad then faced the DLS-CSB Blazers for the second time, sweeping the semifinal series in straight sets to book their ticket to the finals.
However, the championship stage proved to be familiar territory, as UAAP rival NU once again stood in FEU’s path for a finals showdown.
FEU’s title bid got off to a rocky start as the defending champions lost Game 1 of the finals in straight sets, with the second set ending with a thrilling 37-39 duel.
Refusing to go down without a fight, the Morayta-based squad responded with a clean sweep of their own in Game 2, forcing a winner-take-all decider to keep their championship hopes alive.
The Tamaraws carried that momentum into Game 3, edging the Jhocson-based Bulldogs, 25-23, in the opening set to take an early 1-0 advantage.
FEU continued to dictate the pace, with setter Rhodson Du-ot orchestrating the offense and distributing the ball to the team’s attackers. The team eventually won the second set, 25-19, moving within one set of the championship.
Despite their efforts to hold on, the Tamaraws saw their lead dwindle in the third set as NU clawed back from a 20-14 deficit to steal the frame, 28-30.
The green-and-gold squad faltered in the fourth set as NU kept rolling, 21-25, sending the match to a decisive fifth set.
With the championship hanging in the balance, FEU appeared poised to seal the title after taking a 15-11 lead in the deciding set. However, a net-touch challenge resulted in a score correction to 14-12, shifting the momentum back to NU.
In the end, the Tamaraws could not regain their footing, eventually losing the final frame, 14-16, as NU reclaimed the V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge crown.
Despite finishing with silver, the green-and-gold earned several individual awards, with Dryx Saavedra leading FEU’s haul of tournament honors as Most Valuable Player and Best Opposite Spiker, nodding to his outstanding performance and leadership throughout the campaign.
Du-ot was also recognized as Best Setter for his excellent playmaking, while Amet Bituin obtained Best Outside Spiker. Meanwhile, Doula Ndongala secured the Best Middle Blocker award, further boosting the team’s collection of individual accolades.
In a Facebook post, team captain Saavedra vowed to lead the Tamaraws back stronger, addressing the criticism surrounding the team.
“I promise you this that the team you call ‘choker’ will one day be known as a dominant force in collegiate and Philippine volleyball. This is not the end of our story. We still have a lot to prove, and we will come back stronger,” he stated.
On the other hand, co-captain Charles Absin expressed gratitude for finishing his V-League journey alongside his teammates despite the disappointing result.
“Not the gold I had hoped for, but I am thankful that I was able to end my V-League journey with this team. Yes, it hurts knowing that this chapter was over in an unexpected way, but I’m proud of everything that we’ve been through and everything we’ve given,” he mentioned in a Facebook post.
After their V-League run, the Tamaraws shifted their attention to the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference 2026, opening their campaign against the AEP Cabstarts last Saturday, October 17, at the Playtime FilOil Centre in San Juan City.
(Photo courtesy of V-League Facebook Page)