Defending champions DLSU Green Spikers fell short in securing back-to-back titles, bowing down to the FEU Tamaraws in three sets, 22-25, 26-28, 18-25, in Game Three of the 2024 V-League Men’s Division Finals yesterday, October 4, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
Top scorer Rui Ventura led the Taft-based squad with 16 points from 14 attacks and two blocks. Meanwhile, Jerico Adajar’s 12 excellent sets, and three blocks powered the Green Spikers into tight sets against the Tamaraws.
On the other side of the court, Dryx Saavedra clinched 24 points off of 23 attacks with six excellent digs, followed by teammate Charles Absin, who garnered nine attack points, paving the way for FEU’s victory.
A tight ship
At the beginning of the critical matchup against the Morayta-based squad, luck was on the Green Spikers’ side. The team gained an early advantage, securing the first point when FEU made a service error. However, Saavedra countered for the Tamaraws, showing his hot form in the Finals. Joshua Magalaman responded by anchoring La Salle’s defense, successfully locking down Jelord Talisayan’s quick attack, 6-4.
Adajar quickly took charge in the first set, setting up Noel Kampton to keep the scores tighter, 12-11. Despite the Green Spikers’ best efforts to maintain a narrow margin on the amplifying shots from the Tamaraws, FEU’s Lirick Mendoza delivered a well-executed power tip drop into the Green Spikers’ court to take the lead, 20-18.
As the end of the set loomed closer, both teams were swift on their feet in exchanging power dominance. Ventura delivered a long cross-court strike from the back to bring the lead down to two, 24-22. However, Saavedra wowed the crowd with a skillful tip over the net, securing the first set for the Tamaraws, 25-22.
So close, yet so far
In the second leg of the match, despite reaching the set point first, the DLSU Green Spikers were eventually overtaken by the FEU Tamaraws, with Saavedra coming in clutch. La Salle had taken an early lead, holding a three-point advantage at the first technical timeout, with the score at 8-5. The Tamaraws’ aggressive offense served as their lifeline in the close-contested set. Nevertheless, it was countered by Magalaman. Standing tall at six feet six inches, the Green Spiker extended the lead to four points with a decisive block against FEU’s Amet Bituin, bringing the lead to four, 14-10. Kampton further solidified this lead with a precise off-the-block hit, leading both teams into the second technical timeout, 16-12.
The team from Morayta demonstrated that combining strength with strategy was vital as they began to outwit La Salle following the timeout. The scratches from Mendoza and Talisayan eroded the lead established by the Green Spikers, evening the score, 19-all. Yet, Chris Hernandez’s forceful serving unsettled FEU’s reception, propelling his team on a decisive four-point streak to secure the set point, 24-20. Along with unforced errors by the Taft-based squad, the unwavering composure of the Tamaraws pushed the match into overtime, 24-all. Saavedra’s consecutive pipe attacks paddled the team to clinch set point and eventually sealed the set by a convincing block, 28-26.
Morayta beyond reach
In the wake of two lost sets, the Green Spikers’ floor defense struggled to find its balance in the third leg. Saavedra kicked off with a faultless straight down the line, 1-0. Despite the unyielding defense, Ventura shifted to a powerful offensive as he shot a quick to the end line. However, the Green-and-White failed to capitalize on their wings’ cross-court shots as the Tamaraws continued to pummel through the Lasallian defense.
With a huge gap to catch, Hernandez and Eugene Gloria sparked the Green Spikers’ offense, scoring off varied offensive tactics to cut the lead to two, 8-6. However, FEU remained unfazed as Talisayan and Absin bartered power plays with the Green Spikers, tearing through the Taft defense.
Ventura managed to par the Tamaraws’ double-digit score as he pummeled a quick straight through the blocks, narrowing the gap to five, 15-10. In the hopes of benefitting from the technical timeout, newfound confidence gained on La Salle’s momentum as setter Diogenes Poquita pulled an impressive setter’s dump, 17-12. Unfortunately, the Green Spikers’ rally was short-lived as the Tamaraws immediately responded with aggression.
La Salle’s stability came into question as a series of costly mistakes continued to plague the team. While Hernandez managed to revive the team’s composure with several cross-court shots and surprise quicks—an act that brought the Green-and-White to within five points—FEU eventually conquered La Salle. Mikko Espartero capped off the three-set match with a service ace, clinching the championship title for the Tamaraws, 25-18.
In the final series, Talisayan, the team captain of the FEU squad, articulated that their confrontation with the La Salle Team was particularly challenging. This was due to their opponents’ roster of decorated and skillful players who attempted to unsettle them. “Hindi kami nag-relax sa kanila kasi alam namin na may potential din sila. Sobrang competitive po kasi talaga ng Finals po ngayon,” he stated in the press release.
(We didn’t take them lightly as we knew they were capable. The finals were incredibly tough.)
Despite suffering a challenging defeat in the championship, opposite hitter Ventura viewed the Finals as a crucial learning opportunity, aiming to leverage this experience to enhance his performance and emerge more formidable in the next season. “Despite the challenges, we’ve managed to make it to the Championship, which is a big thing. Kinulang lang ng onti, [but] this is not over pa, since there is still UAAP, [and] we are hungry for more,” he exclaimed in an interview.
(Despite the challenges, we’ve managed to make it to the championship, which is a big thing. We fell short by a little, but this is not over yet since there is still UAAP, and we’re hungry for more.)
With a silver medal finish in the 2024 V-League Men’s Division, the DLSU Green Spikers are set to regroup and intensify their training efforts, preparing to make a strong comeback in the upcoming UAAP Season 87, scheduled for the season’s second phase.
The Scores:
DLSU 0 – Ventura 16, Hernandez 7, Kampton 6, Magalaman 6, Adajar 5, Gloria 3, Rodriguez 2, Layug 1, Menard 1, Poquita 1
FEU 3 – Saavedra 24, Absin 12, Mendoza 10, Talisayan 8, Espartero 6, Bituin 4, Martinez 2, Ceballos 0, De Guzman 0
Set Scores: 22-25, 26-28, 18-25
