Mikko Espartero (No. 5) of Far Eastern University scores against University of the East in the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball tournament on Wednesday (March 5, 2025) at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. The Tamaraws won, 25-16, 25-23, 25-19. (UAAP photo)
Far Eastern University (FEU) continued its dominant run in the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball tournament, securing its fifth consecutive victory with a commanding straight-sets win over the University of the East (UE), 25-16, 25-23, 25-19, on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Mikko Espartero led the Tamaraws with eight points and six digs, while middle blocker Lirick Mendoza contributed eight points, including five attacks and three blocks. With this win, FEU replicated its impressive 5-0 start from Season 81 in 2019.
“Actually, we just keep going. We don’t stop. We’ve already overcome the struggles, especially with those who got sick. From our perspective, a combined team effort is a huge factor because, even with a 5-0 record, we’re still pushing to improve our performance in the next games,” said assistant coach Rene Dulay in the post-game interview as head coach Eddieson Orcullo continues to recover from Achilles tear surgery.
Skipper Jelord Talisayan, Dryx Saavedra, and Congolese middle blocker Doula Ndongala spearheaded FEU’s offensive surge to build an 18-13 advantage in the third set. UE managed to close the gap to 19-20, but the Tamaraws leaned on Amet Bituin and Ariel Cacao to seal the match in just one hour and 22 minutes.
Talisayan recorded seven points off six attacks and one block while adding eight receptions. Saavedra contributed seven points, including five attacks and two blocks, and Ndongala posted seven points, with four blocks and three attacks. Meanwhile, Vennie Ceballos tallied 12 receptions, and Benny Martinez orchestrated the offense with 10 excellent sets and one service ace.
“Our goal is to ensure everyone gets a chance to contribute. It shouldn’t be a one-person show—the points should be well-distributed. We executed that game plan well, which is why we won. Everyone stepped up, and that’s what’s helping our team grow and improve,” Dulay added.
For UE, John Steve Aligaynon led the Red Warriors with 13 points, while Raquim Aceron added 11 points and 15 excellent receptions. Roy Gabriel Piojo also chipped in nine points.
FEU will look to keep its unbeaten record intact when it faces Adamson University, while UE will aim to bounce back against De La Salle University on Saturday.