The FEU Tamaraws have been hard at work since UAAP Season 87 started as they aim to redeem themselves from a 3rd place finish last season.
The FEU Tamaraws are looking poised for a redemption season after they claimed solo first in UAAP Season 87, beating the five-peat seeking NU Bulldogs in straight sets, 27-25, 25-14, 25-23, to extend their win streak to three at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Sunday.
Marking their first win over NU in six years, the Tamaraws are now the only unbeaten team left in the men’s volleyball tournament.
Their current campaign thus shows championship promise, after previously losing seven games in a row against the Bulldogs, FEU head coach Eddieson Orcullo said it was a matter of good old fashioned hard work.
Claiming wins over last year’s finalists in their first three games, Orcullo said that the Tamaraws haven’t stopped sharpening their skills in an effort to claim their first championship since UAAP Season 74.
“Yung trabaho lang talagang hindi na tumitigil [yung nagbigay ng panalo samin ngayon]. Kung makikita niyo yung moment ng ensayo namin, talagang alam mo yun, simula nung last game hanggang ngayon, di pa kami tumitigil magensayo eh. Di pa kami nagpapahinga,” said Orcullo.
“So, yung dedication tska yung hard work, samahan natin ng magandang pamilya sa team, talagang alam mo yung result nakikita sa dulo.”
The FEU Tamaraws did show the same flashes of brilliance last year, when they ended up as the top seed with a 12-2 slate at the end of eliminations — but those two losses came at the hands of NU, with the Morayta-based contenders unable to snag a win against the eventual champs.
This time, though, the Tamaraws proved that they were more desperate for the win, especially claiming it in straight sets against an erstwhile-unbeaten NU squad.
“Yung uhaw yung [nagbago], [yung] pagkauhaw namin sa lahat ng team, gustong umakyat sa pinakadulo eh. Siguro yun lang talaga yung pinanghahawakan namin,” Orcullo said.
“Tulad non, ang tagal non [yung huling panalo namin sa NU], 2019, ngayon lang ulit. So, dapat hindi lang talaga tumigil eh. Kayod lang nang kayod hanggang sa makuha namin yung pinakarurok ng tagumpay natin,” he added.
Despite the big win, which places them firmly ahead of the rest of the pack after three games, Orcullo isn’t one to rest on his laurels, especially as the season has only begun. Learning from their mistakes last year when they exited in the semifinals, the tactician is practicing caution.
“Again, yung simula talagang nakaprepare tayo ron. Ang pinaguusapan natin diyan yung nasa gitna ka, tska yung padulo. Yun ang pinaka lagi naming sinasabi sa isa’t isa na even sa coaches, wala nang titigil dun sa ginagawa,” he said.
“Kasi nagsisimula palang yung laban pare, wala pa sa gitna yung kailangan natin kaya laging laban lang nang laban every single day,” he added.
FEU’s breakthrough victory over NU came with a big game from Dryx Saavedra, who ended up as Player of the Game with 20 points, while Amet Bituin was a spark off of the bench with the rookie chipping in 10 markers.
Buds Buddin paced the Bulldogs in the losing effort with 12 points.