A surging UST stands between the FEU Tamaraws and an opening-round sweep, while the Ateneo Blue Eagles look to steady the ship in tackling UE in the penultimate UAAP Season 88 men’s volleyball opening-round gameday.
Unbeaten FEU is closing in on another flawless opening round — but a red-hot UST squad stands in the way.
The league-leading Tamaraws seek to complete a first-round sweep when they cross paths with the surging Golden Spikers as the UAAP Season 88 men’s volleyball tournament resumes Saturday, March 14, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
FEU and UST collide in the 11:00 a.m. main event, while the Ateneo Blue Eagles seek to steady their campaign against the UE Red Warriors in the 9:00 a.m. curtain-raiser.
Both matches will stream live on the Pilipinas Live app. It will also air on the UAAP Varsity Channel.
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The Tamaraws improved to 6-0 after a commanding 25-14, 25-22, 28-26 win over the UP Fighting Maroons, with Amet Bituin leading the charge with 17 points.
The Morayta-based squad accomplished the same feat last season, sweeping the first round and not absorbing its first loss until the 10th game of the tournament before eventually finishing runner-up to the five-time defending champion NU Bulldogs.
But standing between FEU and another perfect opening round is a confident UST side riding a five-game winning streak.
The Golden Spikers are coming off a dominant 25-22, 25-18, 25-16 sweep of UP and are now tied with defending champion NU at 5-1 for second place.
Meanwhile, Ateneo is hoping to rediscover its rhythm after stumbling in its last two matches.
The Blue Eagles slipped to 2-4 following a straight-set defeat to the Bulldogs via a 25-22, 25-23, 25-22 decision that left them tied with rival La Salle for fifth place in the standings.
Reigning MVP Kennedy Batas led Ateneo in the loss with 13 points and 10 excellent receptions.
A win against UE would allow the Blue Eagles to reinsert themselves into the top-four conversation heading into the second round.
The Red Warriors, however, are equally eager to snap a three-game skid and end their opening-round campaign on a positive note after dropping to 1-5 following a four-set loss to La Salle.
(With reports from Pao Ambat)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]