University of the East (UE) snapped a 23-game skid as they nipped Adamson University (AdU) in a 25-22, 20-25, 25-23, 30-32, 15-12 thriller during the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men's Volleyball Tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay on Saturday, Feb. 21.
The Red Warriors overcame the Falcons' 23-block defenses to secure their first triumph in nearly two years.
Beforehand, UE suffered a winless Season 87, with their last win dating back to the Season 86’s opener against University of the Philippines (UP), 25-21, 19-25, 28-30, 27-25, 15-12, on March 17, 2024.
"To be honest ang sarap manalo ulit dito sa UAAP… I would say we have a very young team now and the rookies that we have, they are not prized recruits pero mas naniniwala kami na once we see a potential sa player, we try to develop them," said Dimaculangan, assistant coach.
"Kailangan namin trabahuhin kung anong meron kami and we're happy with this result kasi after two seasons, uy may resulta, and that's more enough for us para ipagpatuloy," he added.
The Soaring Falcons grabbed an early 7-5 lead in the decider — but the Red Warriors responded with four straight points through Raquim Aceron and Cjay Nabora’s offensives for a 9-7 edge.
Refusing to waver, Adamson then eventually tied the score at 10-all after consecutive coordinated plays that gave their counterparts a hard time moving ahead.
But UE ultimately pulled away after sparking a final 4-0 run to reach match point, topped off by a Nabora off-the-block kill that proved to be the nail in the coffin.
"If naba-block ako, hindi ako nagpakain sa frustrations. Bounce back lang ulit kasi nandiyan naman 'yung teammates ko and coaches ko to guide me," said Nabora.
Anchoring the Red Warriors’ victory, the libero Nabora tallied 17 points on 15 attacks and two blocks while providing a defensive backbone with 13 receptions and seven digs.
Raquim Aceron fueled UE’s offense after chipping in a team-high 24 points and 21 receptions, while Mark Lee Budias added 16 markers, respectively.
Despite their defeat, Adamson’s Richard Besorio recorded a promising nine blocks, which served as the highest individual block total in the UAAP men's division since 2023.
The Red Warriors aim to build a winning streak against UST at the Quadricentennial Pavilion on Feb. 28, while Adamson looks to bounce back against FEU on March 1 at the Araneta Coliseum.
Written by Harvey Padua, Insight PH
Harvey Padua, Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
