LIVE: UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball Finals Game 1 – May 11, 2025

FEU Rookie Amet Bituin during Game 1 of the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball Finals against NU.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — This batch of the Far Eastern University Tamaraws may be UAAP Finals first-timers, but they have  turned out to be the fiercest challengers to the National University dynasty.

Trailing two sets to one after a 12-point rout in the third set, FEU refused to go down without a fight as willed its way back to steal Game 1 from five-peat-seeking NU, 22-25, 25-22, 13-25, 25-22, 15-13, on Sunday in front of 5,405 fans at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 volleyball FINALS

FEU coach Eddieson Orcullo, Ariel Cacao, Dryx Saavedra, and Amet Bituin after winning Game 1. #UAAPSeason87 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/R0RowNp1mX

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) May 11, 2025

One of the Tamaraws who showed great resolve was rookie Amet Bituin, who was unafraid of the big moment scoring 16 points including the game-winning spike that put FEU on the cusp of its 26th title and ending a 13-year championship drought. 

“I’m just really happy that I was able I bring that joy into the game and it shows in how I play. That’s why I said earlier, “All out. Leave nothing behind.” Even if my throat hurts from shouting, I kept going because I don’t want to hold back or have any regrets later,” said Bituin in Filipino.

Bituin, an FEU Diliman product, also drew inspiration from their supportive fans, who even brought a banner with a “Braver Today” written on it.

“Just seeing the crowd earlier already gave us a huge boost. Every time we changed courts and heard the cheers, it felt amazing. It was such a great feeling to play with that much support behind us,” he said.

Dryx Saavedra, who led the way with 25 points, just trusted the adjustments made by coach Eddieson Orcullo and his staff to solve the NU puzzle. FEU’s win snapped NU’s eight-game winning streak in the finals dating back to Season 79.

READ: UAAP men’s volleyball Finals preview: Talent-rich NU, FEU renew rivalry

“I was able to think clearly. I knew NU was the best blocking team, so I’m glad the strategy I thought of worked both in attack and in defense,” Saavedra said.

“We kept reminding each other to stay connected and communicate better on the court. The biggest challenge earlier was that we weren’t understanding each other well, we were rushing plays, and we were even making errors on easy balls. So we made an extra effort to be more united and to support each other.”

Interestingly, the last time FEU celebrated a UAAP men’s volleyball championship was when they spoiled University of Santo Tomas’ five-peat bid.

Close to glory, Orcullo reminded his wards that the job is far from finished. 

“This is just one step away. We’re halfway there, so we can’t stop now. It’s not over yet. Whatever happens on Wednesday, we’ve worked really hard for it,” Orcullo said.