National University is undoubtedly the title favorite in the upcoming UAAP Season 85 men's volleyball tournament early next year because of two things.
First, winning the 2022 Spikers' Turf Open Conference, the country's first and only premier league for men, in stunning fashion over powerhouse Cignal last October 1.
Led by Nico Almendras, Joshua Retamar, and Michaelo Buddin, the Bulldogs drew first blood over the fancied HD Spikers who features three-time Spikers' Turf MVP Marck Espejo, 25-21, 20-25, 25-23, 25-18.
They then went for the jugular in Game Two to sweep the Finals series, 25-18, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23.
Second, National U dominated the men's division of the 2022 V-League Collegiate Challenge, getting only a loss and only four sets dropped in 10 games.
The Bulldogs showed their heart of gold in their do-or-die clash for all the marbles against the UST Tiger Spikers with a 25-23, 25-23, 25-21 straight sets victory for their second consecutive championship in a Sports Vision-organized tournament.
"Sobrang laking tulong ito. Sabi ko nga first day pa lang ng tournament sobrang thankful na ako sa Sports Vision na ginagawa nila ito," said NU head coach Dante Alinsunurin, whose love for men's volleyball is immense as he also holds the country's national team.
"Lahat gagawin nila para yung men's division ay iangat," added Alinsunurin after their championship-clinching match on Friday at the Paco Arena.
With the UAAP's return to full calendar this Season 85, the Bulldogs cannot wait to defend their crown in the men's side of things.
Prior to the pandemic which cut short their three-peat bid last Season 82, National U is at the top of the competition with back-to-back golds.
And with two epic streaks of performances in the Sports Vision tournaments, the Bulldogs, along with the rest of the teams from both UAAP and NCAA leagues that joined, are back like they never left and in great shape.
"Malaking bagay sa amin ('yung championship sa Spikers Turf at V-League) para madominate namin 'yung mga kalaban namin sa UAAP," said NU spiker Nico Almendras, who copped the Spikers' Turf Open Conference MVP; and the Conference and Finals MVP plums in the V-League.
"Preparation namin ito para sa UAAP lalong lalo na itong UST na ito syempre hindi rin basta basta sila bumibigay," said Almendras, talking about the Tiger Spikers that gave them their only loss in the Collegiate Challenge.
