Bulldogs force winner-take-all Game 3 in UAAP men’s volleyball

VENGEFUL National University  (NU) turned back Far Eastern University (FEU) with a stellar comeback in the clutch, 25-22, 20-25, 25-15, 18-25, 15-11, to force a winner-take-all Game 3 in the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball finals on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

On the brink of being dethroned from their long-time kingdom, the NU Bulldogs unleashed a staggering 10-3 finishing bite capped by Jade Disquitado’s thunderous block on the FEU Tamaraws’ top gun Dryx Saavedra to complete the Game 2 comeback and tie things up at 1-1.

NU, with a new lease on life and now smelling blood, shoots for its fifth straight title on Saturday at the same venue.

Coach Dante Alinsunurin, leaning on the composure of his battle-scarred wards that has lorded over the league since 2018.

Veteran spiker Buds Buddin, who just came back from an ankle injury in the playoffs, rediscovered his fiery form with 20 points on 20 hits, including three in the decider, to lead NU’s retaliation after a 25-22, 22-25, 25-13, 22-25, 13-15 loss in Game 1.

That defeat was the Bulldogs’ first since 2017, boasting an unbeaten reign in eight straight finals games for a lasting dynasty.

Not this time around as NU drew ample support from Congolese middle blocker Obed Mukaba, who also came big with three points in the fifth set for a total output of 20 as well as Leo Ordiales and Leo Aringo with 13 and 10 points, respectively.

Mr. Buddin did, anchoring NU’s ship in the rocky rubber after nearly blowing a 2-1 set lead like in Game 1 that proved as a stark contrast to FEU.

As the Bulldogs flashed steely resolve from a huge deficit, the Tamaraws folded under pressure by committing five errors in the decider alone -— with four coming in the most crucial stretch after building a comfortable 8-5 lead.

Game 1 heroes Mr. Saavedra (24) and Amet Bituin (10) had their usual numbers but the Tamaraws still fell short of winning their first title since Season 74 (2012) — at least for now.

Meanwhile, Ateneo de Manila University’s Ken Batas captured the Season MVP plum while JJ Macam of University of Santo Tomas (UST) was the Rookie of the Year. The two also won Best Outside Spikers alongside other season awardees Popoy Colinares (UST) and Leo Coguimbal (Adamson University) as Best Middle Blockers, Amil Pacinio (Ateneo) as Best Opposite Spiker, Dux Yambao (UST) as Best Setter and Menard Guerrero (De La Salle University) as Best Libero. — John Bryan Ulanday