Tamaraws oust Green Spikers to seal long-awaited UAAP finals return

MANILA, Philippines — The Far Eastern University Tamaraws punched their ticket to the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball tournament after eliminating the La Salle Green Spikers in four sets, 24-26, 25-23, 25-19, 25-20, Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

This is the first men’s volleyball finals in six years for FEU, which held a twice-to-beat advantage.

Mikko Espartero finished with 17 points, all attacks, to go with 15 excellent sets and two excellent digs. Doula Ndongala scored 17 points as well, on 12 attacks, four blocks and an ace.

After dropping a close first set, the Tamaraws regained the form that flung them to the top spot of the tourney.

In the fourth set, the two squads were kept in a 17-all frame.

FEU then unleashed five straight points capped by back-to-back attack errors by La Salle to take full control, 22-17.

Vince Maglinao snapped the run, but Espartero answered back as the Tamaraws regained a five-point lead, 23-18.

Joshua Rodriguez then punched in a kill, but a cross-court hit by Espartero pushed FEU to the match point, 24-19.

A tip by Eco Adajar kept La Salle alive, but a finishing kill by the Tamaraws sealed the deal.

Lirick Mendoza chipped in 14 points for the Tamaraws, while Dryx Saavedra and Amiel Bituin had 11 apiece. Ariel Cacao tossed up 31 excellent sets for FEU.

Outgoing Green Spiker Noel Kampton led the charge for La Salle with 19 markers to go with 19 receptions and two digs. Rui Ventura backstopped with 17 points.

FEU will thus take on the winner between the National University-University of Santo Tomas series. UST, earlier on Saturday, forced a do-or-die against the five-peat seeking Bulldogs.

“Masaya sobra kasi nakuha namin yung isang slot para sa Finals yun ang pinakaimportante sa lahat,” FEU head coach Eddieson Orcullo said after the game.

“Yung kasiyahan, alam mo yung kailangan balansehin mo maigi kasi hindi pa tapos, may game pa tayo kaya bukas o siguro mamaya pa lang paghandaan na namin yung gagawin doon sa dalawang team kung sino man aakyat sa kanila,” he added.

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