Far Eastern University inched closer to a finals return in the V-League Collegiate Challenge, leaning on a total team effort to outlast University of Santo Tomas in a five-set thriller, 25-23, 16-25, 25-19, 24-26, 15-8, Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
After a failed comeback attempt to close out the match in the fourth set, the Tamaraws regrouped and showed composure in the decider, with every player stepping up to deliver clutch plays that finally put away the Golden Spikers.
Amet Bituin set the tone with a thunderous off-the-block hit, and when Sali Al-Bukharie and Josh Ybañez faltered on consecutive attacks, FEU pounced, racing to an early 3-0 cushion that quickly ballooned into a commanding 12-4 lead, leaving UST struggling to keep pace.
The Golden Spikers briefly showed signs of life with back-to-back points, but Bituin halted the rally with another searing hit before Lirick Mendoza rose for an emphatic block on Gboy De Vega, shoving FEU to match point at 14-6.
Bituin then misfired with a service error, and JJ Macam followed with a booming ace to keep UST’s flickering hopes alive. But the comeback was short-lived, as Mikko Espartero rose above the net and dropped the hammer to seal the victory for the Tamaraws after two hours and 20 minutes of gripping action.
“Lagi nating sinasabi na maganda kapag nakakauna. Ngayon siguro, malaking break din sa mga players kasi kung ikaw talaga ‘yung makakauna, medyo lamang ka sa labanan,” said Tamaraws head coach Eddieson Orcullo.
“Tinulak din kami ng [UST], grabe ‘yung tulak nung second and fourth set. Siguro ‘yung willingness ng bawat isa saka ‘yung composure, ‘yun siguro,” he added.
Ariel Cacao orchestrated FEU’s offense with 24 excellent sets, fueling a balanced attack that produced four double-digit scorers. Dryx Saavedra led the way with a game-high 19 points built on 16 attacks, two blocks, and an ace.
Bituin added 16 points along with 10 excellent receptions, while Espartero chipped in 15 markers, four excellent digs, and nine excellent receptions. Mendoza rounded out the scoring punch with 10 points, including three blocks.
The Tamaraws will try to finish the job and clinch their second straight finals appearance in the tournament organized by Sports Vision when they return for Game 2 on Thursday at 12 p.m., still at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
On the other side, Macam and Al-Bukharie paced UST with 14 points apiece, helping the Golden Spikers drag the match into a fifth set after fending off a spirited FEU rally in the fourth, only to run out of gas when it mattered most.
De Vega and Valera chipped in 13 and 12 points, respectively, while two-time UAAP MVP and Alas Pilipinas standout Ybañez was limited to just eight points off the bench.
