National University-Nazareth School (NUNS) is one game away from reclaiming the UAAP boys’ volleyball crown.
This, after the Bullpups came away with a hard-earned 39-37, 26-24, 22-25, 25-21 victory over University of the East (UE) in Game 1 of their best-of-three Season 86 finals series at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City on Tuesday, February 6.
They built on the momentum of an exhausting first set marathon, then recovered from a letdown in Set 3 to move on the cusp of their first boys’ volleyball championship since UAAP Season 82 (2019 to 2020).
“Sa ensayo namin, lagi naming sinasabi at nire-remind na walang bibigay, at nangyari kanina ‘yun, kasi may mga pagkakataon na bumibigay sila, pero hanggang sa huli kinapitan nila. At ‘yun ‘yung naging break namin,” Bullpups head coach Edgar Barroga said.
The first set lasted 44 minutes, with UE reaching set point at 37-36 courtesy of back-to-back kills from Jan Macam.
NUNS pulled off the comeback, however, with Matthew Abut and Dave Lardizabal scoring back-to-back hits to put the Bullpups at set point before UE’s Lance Babon committed an attack error.
With momentum on their side, Kobe Aca-ac provided the spark for NUNS in the second set.
His down-the-line kill put the Bullpups ahead for good, 25-24, before he rejected Macam in the next play to put the Bullpups ahead, 2-0.
But the Junior Warriors did not go away easily.
Substitute Karl Reyes came in to help Macam and Babon in steering UE to a set win.
Unfortunately for the Junior Warriors, they could not keep the momentum going in the fourth set.
Instead, NUNS pulled away, 11-7, off an ace by Jeffe Gallego, Jr. before Abut put the finishing touches on the win with back-to-back attacks.
“Naging buo lang ‘yung loob nung first six na kailangan naming manalo this season and kailangan naming paghirapan ‘yun. Good job kasi ‘yung tinuturo sa ‘min naging effective naman,” Gallego, the reigning Best Setter, said of the huge fight between the Bullpups.
Game 2 is on Thursday, February 8, at 1:00 p.m. at the San Juan arena.
Ahead of the contest, the league will crown the winners of the individual awards for the boys’ tournament. (ABS-CBN News)