The upset was avoided... for now.
The NU Bulldogs preserved their unbeaten run on Sunday, outlasting the UE Red Warriors, 22-25, 22-25, 25-14, 25-22, 15-6, in one of the best games so far of Season 85 UAAP Men’s Volleyball.
The defending champions, winners of their last 22 matches dating back to 2019, looked ripe for the upset after dropping the first two sets to the very game Red Warriors. The Bulldogs, who played minus key cog Ken Malinis, restored some semblance of order with a dominant third set, only to be pushed again to the hilt in the fourth. But NU pushed back just enough to force the winner-take-all fifth set—and it was all the team needed to extend their winning run to 23 games.
NU coach Dante Alinsunurin could only breathe a sigh of relief before giving props to his team.
“Sobrang thankful pa rin ako na kahit down kami ng two sets nakuha pa rin namin yung panalo,” said Alinsunurin. “Syempre, credit rin sa players ko na kahit medyo may mga konti kaming problema sa ginagawa namin sa loob ng court, nakabalik pa rin kami.”
Leading the charge for the Bulldogs was Obed Mukaba, who tallied 18 points on 8 attacks, 9 blocks, and 1 ace. Nico Almendras, meanwhile, more than made up for missing the first set, giving NU his usual numbers and delivering the game-sealing spike in the deciding fifth set. Almendras missed the first set after he was handed yellow and red cards prior to the match for his unsportsmanlike conduct from the Bulldogs’ previous game against the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons.
With the Bulldogs getting dragged into another battle of wills, Alinsunurin is hoping his team can adjust accordingly. And he knows exactly what his players need to do.
“Talagang kailangan namin na every time papasok kami sa loob ng court, talagang maging agresibo na kami, hindi na maghintay kung anong gagawin ng kalaban,” said Alinsunurin. “Dapat kami talaga yung mag-set ng tempo lagi.”
The Bulldogs will need to figure things out quick, or else that unbeaten streak might be broken real soon.