By Andrei M. Barrantes

University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87’s remaining undefeated team continues to thrive as the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws held off the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors, 25-19, 25-17, 23-25, 25-18, in the men’s volleyball tourney earlier today, March 26, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.

The four-setter saw early dominance from the Morayta squad, with most of the spikers getting to work early.

FEU felt little to no resistance for the first two sets until a surge from UE stalwarts Isaiah Roca and Xjhann Camaymayan extended their chances, 23-25.

In the deciding set, however, the green-and-gold squad got a hefty lead and bolstered their ninth straight win thanks to UE’s multiple attack errors.

Though FEU got the best of their Recto neighbors yet again, green-and-gold setter Ariel Cacao still felt that the team unknowingly welcomed complacency, which led to their inability to complete the game in straight sets.

“Parang may relax moment pa din, kasi ayun nga, nakakuha ng two sets, tapos nung start ng third set, medyo naunahan kami. Kaya ayon, para sa akin yung start ng third set medyo nag-relax, eh, kaya natambakan kami (It seemed like there were relaxed moments still, because we won two sets, then at the start of the third set we were overtaken. So, for me, the start of the third set was a little relaxed, and we got blown out),” he said in the post-game press conference.

Cacao finished the match with 20 excellent sets and one block, unlocking Tamaraw spikers Lirick Mendoza and Dryx Saavedra who scored 13 apiece and Mikko Espartero with 12 markers.

Meanwhile, Player of the Game honors went to foreign student-athlete Doula Ndongala who hammered home 14 points built on nine attacks, four blocks, and an ace.

Cacao’s running mate, Benny Martinez, also thrived with 14 excellent sets as a total of four Tamaraws notched double digits to weather Camaymayan and Roca’s combined 30 points.

And then there was one

Of course, FEU wasn’t the only team that headed into today’s matches with no loss on their card.

Earlier today, the defending champions for the women’s tournament in National University (NU) yielded their first defeat at the hands of the University of the Philippines.

With such a formidable squad seeing their first defeat in a shocking fashion, FEU Tamaraws head coach Eddieson Orcullo emphasized the need for them to continue working so that they may avoid a similar fate.

“Gusto ng lahat syempre ma-sweep, pero nakita niyo naman yung labanan kanina. ‘Yung UE talagang nothing to lose, talagang palo kung palo, ‘di ba? Depensa kung depensa. Ngayon kung sa amin, ipapasok natin sa utak natin na gusto natin ng sweep, eh, tinatrabaho ‘yan, hindi sinasabi (Everyone wants to sweep, of course, but you saw the battle earlier. UE really had nothing to lose, just hitting hard, right? Defending hard. Now, as for us, we'll get it into our heads that we want a sweep, so we work for it, not say it),” Orcullo said.

As Cacao added, the game served as a warning for them that nothing can be counted out in the UAAP, especially the top teams falling to a hungry, scrappy squad when they match up in the taraflex.

“Pinanood din namin ‘yung game kanina ng women’s, parang wake-up call agad sa’min na dapat ‘di kami mag-relax kasi ayun nga, NU vs UP, ‘di naman natin akalain na ganun ‘yung mangyayari pero ganun ‘yung nangyari (We also watched the women’s game earlier, and it quickly became a wake-up call for us that we shouldn’t relax. Just like with NU vs UP, nobody expected that outcome but it happened),” he shared.

As FEU has had their fair share of meltdowns in the past, the veteran setter has made it his mission to constantly remind them that no team is safe—no matter how few their losses.

”Parang ganun lang din po sa’min na lagi kong sinasabi na ‘wag hintaying matalo bago ma-realize na kailangan pa naming trumabaho (It’s the same for us – I always tell them not to wait until we lose before realizing we need to work harder),” Cacao added.

Though the green-and-gold squad still stands tall at a 9-0 win-loss record, their biggest challenge comes yet again as they prepare to face NU on Sunday, March 30, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

(Photo courtesy of the UAAP Media Team)