The University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons is still in the Final 4 race of the UAAP Season 85 men’s volleyball tournament after a pulsating win over the Ateneo Blue Eagles.

The Fighting Maroons booked their first ever win in the men’s division via a monumental comeback against Ateneo, 13-25, 22-25, 26-24, 39-37, 15-12 at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City yesterday.

UP halted their nine-game losing skid for a 1-9 record while the Blue Eagles dropped to 5-5 card, ending their three-game winning run.

Louis Gamban paced the Fighting Maroons with 22 points to go along with 16 receptions and 14 digs, while Jaivee Malabanan added 21 markers.

“‘Yung kanina lang, nadala na rin sila or nagkaroon na ng wake up call na kung ano ba dapat ‘yung emotion dun sa game… Siguro naging advantage na nag-long game kami nung fourth set. ‘Yung momentum nag-tuloy tuloy. ‘Yun naman ine-ensayo namin eh, mahabang laro,” head coach Rald Ricafort said.

After an extended fourth set win, the Fighting Maroons zoomed to a 4-0 start in the deciding frame sparked by an off-the-block hit by Gamban.

The Blue Eagles threatened to comeback as UP committed back-to-back errors, trimming the deficit to a point, 6-7. But Gamban unleashed another spike followed by two consecutive points from Angelo Lagando for a 10-6 lead.

Abay Llenos kept Ateneo alive with several attacks, 11-13, but an outside hit from his team put UP at match point.

Jian Salarzon tallied 30 big points for the Blue Eagles while Kennedy Batas and Charles Absin had 18 apiece. (ABS-CBN News)