By ADRIAN STEWART CO
Negrense Leo Ordiales and Michaelo Buddin combined for 39 points as the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs swept the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, 28-26, 25-23, 25-20, in the UAAP Season 88 collegiate men’s volleyball tournament at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Quadricentennial Pavilion on Saturday, February 28.
Ordiales led the way with 20 points on 13 attacks, six blocks and one ace.
Buddin added 19 points on 15 attacks, two aces and one block, helping the Bulldogs quickly rebound from their loss to the Far Eastern University Tamaraws on February 21.
NU also contained the league’s leading scorer, Olayemi Raheem.
After averaging 29.7 points in the first three matches, Raheem was limited to a season-low 14 points on 14-of-34 attacks, though he contributed two excellent digs.
Behind the efforts of these Alas Pilipinas men mainstays, NU joined UST — which earlier swept the University of the East — as joint second-placers, both holding 3-1 win-loss records.
“Sa simula pa naman ng liga, masasabi natin na lahat, laban talaga, kasi sobrang intact ng lahat ng teams. Sa performance namin ngayon, sobrang thankful [ako] sa panalo namin, although may lapses pa rin kami sa ginagawa namin through offense and sa pag-receive namin,” Bulldogs head coach Dante Alinsunurin said.
In the third set, NU raced to an early 14-9 lead and never looked back.
Quick plays from Congolese middle blocker Obed Mukaba, a Jade Disquitado off-the-block hit, and a Zairus Pacure service error kept UP trailing 23-18.
After nearly squandering a 24-18 lead in the second frame, the Bulldogs avoided collapse in the third set.
A crosscourt hit by Disquitado and a Mukaba block on team captain Raheem sealed the win in just 82 minutes.
Two hits from Raheem and consecutive blocks by Angelo Lipata and Abram Robles narrowed the gap to 24-23 in the second set, but a costly service error by Milven Francisco allowed NU to secure a two-set advantage.
Disquitado contributed 10 points on nine attacks, alongside 11 excellent receptions and two excellent digs, while team captain Peng Taguibolos added six points from four attacks and two blocks.
Mukaba added five points on four attacks and one block, while Greg Ancheta set up 22 excellent sets in the straight-sets victory.
Jimwell Gapultos also contributed nine excellent receptions and six excellent digs.
Meanwhile, the Fighting Maroons dropped to solo fourth place with a 2-2 record./ASC, WDJ