The DLSU Green Spikers opened their UAAP Season 88 Men’s Volleyball campaign on a sour note, bowing to the FEU Tamaraws in straight sets, 25-19, 25-22, 25-19, earlier today, February 14, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Struggling to find their rhythm against the Morayta-based squad’s relentless offense, the Green-and-White failed to secure a foothold in the match despite flashes of brilliance from Issa Ousseini, Michael Fortuna, and Joshua Magalaman. The loss handed the Lasallians a 0-1 record to start the tournament, while the Tamaraws seized momentum with a clean sweep.
Unstable footing
The Tamaraws charged out of the gate with explosive energy, silencing the early efforts of the Green Spikers to seize control of the opening set. Ousseini provided a brief spark with a service ace coupled with powerful spikes to knot the score at 4-all, but the Tamaraws’ commanding defense in the middle quickly tilted the floor. Ousseini tried to rally the Green-and-White with a spirited 3-0 run of his own to level the game at 9-all, however they were plagued by sloppy floor defense and a string of costly service errors. FEU took full advantage of this, silencing the La Salle side of the arena with a devastating 7-1 run spearheaded by Lirick Mendoza and Mikko Espartero, forcing a desperate timeout from the DLSU bench as the lead swelled to 16-11.
As the match raged on, momentum remained firmly with the Morayta-based squad as the crowd erupted for the Tamaraws, further rattling a collapsing La Salle defense. A successful DLSU challenge on a net touch proved futile as the officials ultimately overturned the call in favor of FEU, pushing the score to 22-18. While Ousseini attempted late-set heroics to bridge the gap, unforced errors from the Green Spikers proved too heavy a burden to overcome. Zhydryx Saavedra relentlessly hammered the defense to reach set point before Espartero punctuated the dominant performance with a clinical middle spike that bypassed the blockers, securing the first set for FEU, 25-19.
Falling short
Eager to equalize after dropping the opening set, the Green Spikers engaged in a grit-and-grind affair early in the second frame. Fortuna and Magalaman traded blows with the Tamaraws, executing decisive kills to keep the Taft-based squad within striking distance. Eugene Gloria stepped into the spark with a clever tap, and a Magalaman attack allowed DLSU to gain momentum and reach the 13-point mark first, 13-11.
However, the tides turned as the Morayta-based squad capitalized on La Salle’s errors to ignite a rally. Ariel Cacao spearheaded their team’s offense, leading a run that erased the Lasallian advantage and forced a timeout, 16-13. Mendoza joined the fray to extend the Tamaraw cushion to four, 20-16. Despite a late defensive stand and attacks from Gloria and Ousseini to narrow the gap, 21-19, the Green Spikers could not sustain the comeback. Espartero eventually pierced the block to seal the set for FEU, 25-22
Insurmountable wall
The third set began as a grueling battle of attrition, defined early on by a series of unforced errors and unsuccessful challenges from both sides. FEU initially established a foothold behind the net defense of Saavedra and Doula Ndongala, but their momentum was frequently interrupted by service blunders. Seizing the opportunity, DLSU began to chip away at the lead, lit by a commanding slam from Ousseini and a clutch ace by Ezer Regidor. As the Tamaraws’ composure momentarily swayed, Arjay Magallanes shouldered the offensive load for the Green Spikers, delivering a sharp cross-court kill to finally knot the score at 12-all, and ignite hopes of a late-game comeback.
However, the deadlock was short-lived as FEU’s sophisticated floor generalship took over, leaving the La Salle defense guessing with a dizzying array of quicks, delayed sets, and back-row attacks. Despite Magallanes’ valiant efforts, DLSU was haunted by a failed antenna touch challenge and a critical net violation that pushed them to the edge. With the pressure mounting and the score at 24-19, the Tamaraws refused to let the set slip away. After a final DLSU timeout, Mendoza delivered the decisive blow for FEU, clinical and cold, ending the match with a 25-19 scoreline to seal a heartbreaking straight-sets defeat.
The Green Spikers aim to bounce back as they face off against the UST Growling Tigers on Sunday, February 22, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Scores:
DLSU – Ousseini 9, Fortuna 7, Gloria 7, Magalaman 6, Hernandez 5, Magallanes 4, Mendoza 3, Regidor 1
FEU – Saavedra 16, Espartero 14, Cacao 7, Ndongala 7, Bituin 4, Ceballos 1
Set Scores: 19-25, 22-25, 19-25
