A rivalry weighed down by history finally cracked open on Wednesday as the University of the Philippines carved out a long-awaited breakthrough in UAAP Season 88 men’s volleyball, stopping a decade-long slide against De La Salle University and injecting new belief into its campaign.
In front of a lively crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons outlasted De La Salle Green Spikers, 25-23, 25-19, 21-25, 25-22, to claim a result that felt bigger than the standings. It was UP’s first win over La Salle since 2017, ending a 10-game skid that had quietly hovered over the program for nearly nine years.
Raheem Olayemi was at the heart of the turnaround, unleashing 29 points on a mix of power and patience that steadied the Fighting Maroons whenever momentum threatened to slip. Milven Francisco Jr. provided timely support, while UP’s improved serve control in the fourth set allowed the offense to breathe after La Salle’s blockers began reading the lanes.
With head coach Carlo Cabatingan sidelined due to illness, assistant coach Hannah Nagtalon guided the bench through key adjustments, emphasizing cleaner passing and smarter distribution after the Green Spikers disrupted UP’s rhythm in the third frame. The response was immediate and decisive, pushing UP to a 2-1 record and restoring confidence after a setback against Ateneo earlier in the week.
La Salle, still searching for its first win at 0-3, leaned on Issa Ousseini, Rui Ventura, and Eugene Gloria, but struggled to sustain pressure when the match tightened in the closing stages.\
Earlier in the day, the tournament’s unpredictability was again on full display as University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers survived a bruising five-set encounter against Ateneo Blue Eagles, 19-25, 26-24, 21-25, 26-24, 15-11.
Josh Ybañez delivered a masterclass in resilience, erupting for 29 points and repeatedly pulling UST back from the brink. Each time Ateneo appeared ready to seize control, Ybañez answered with timely kills and service pressure, turning the fifth set into a test of nerve that favored the Tigers. JJ Macam added steady production as UST climbed to 2-1.
Ateneo wasted no effort in defeat, with Emman Okeke pouring in 26 points in a performance that kept the Blue Eagles within striking distance throughout. Jian Salarzon and Amil Pacinio Jr. chipped in valuable support, but Ateneo slipped to 1-2 after failing to close out two tight sets.
As Season 88 gathers pace, Wednesday’s doubleheader underscored how quickly narratives can shift in men’s volleyball—where history can be rewritten in one night, and every five-set grind has the power to reshape the race.