Volleyball: FEU draws first blood, downs St. Benilde

MANILA — Far Eastern University is one step closer to a third straight Finals appearance in the V-League Collegiate Challenge.

The Tamaraws overcame College of Saint Benilde, 25-22, 25-21, 25-22, in Game 1 of their best-of-three semifinals series on Wednesday at the Playtime FilOil Centre in San Juan City.

The Tamaraws will go for the Finals berth on Saturday, October 3, at 12 noon, still at the same venue.

FEU needed to gather momentum in the third and final set before eventually putting away a stubborn Benilde side.

Mikko Espartero, who came on for Kyle Tandoc primarily for his passing, came up big to help the Tamaraws take the lead heading into the technical timeouts, delivering a service ace and a kill, respectively.

The Blazers tried to claw their way back into the match, with Reymark Betco leading the charge, but Espartero, Dryx Saavedra, and Amet Bituin combined to finish the job, closing out the match and sealing the win for FEU.

Saavedra finished with 18 points on 17 kills and one ace, to go with three digs. He also delivered the booming kill that ended the one-hour, 21-minute battle.

Bituin produced 17 points in his first full game back from rest, while Espartero added five markers off the bench.

“Sa tingin ko masyadong excited ‘yung mga bata to the point na nanggigil sila kaya nagmukhang slow starts, pero nakapag-adjust naman,” said coach Ferdinand Manalo on the win.

“Gusto naming makita Saturday na huwag silang mag-complacent just because nanalo sila today. Kailangan mas mainit pa silang makuha agad ‘yung Game 2 kasi ayaw na naming mag Game 3,” the longtime assistant added.

The Tamaraws started on the back foot as the Blazers’ net defense gave them problems, but FEU eventually turned things around by leaning on its own defensive pressure.

Another attack error on a Betco attempt, forced by that pressure, followed by a Benilde miscue, resulted in an easy Doula Ndongala putaway that extended FEU’s cushion to 20-15. The lead proved enough for the Tamaraws to withstand a late rally from the Blazers and take the opening set.

The second set followed a similar script, with the Blazers making the Tamaraws work hard for every point.

Saavedra and the rest of the squad, who are gunning for a third consecutive crown, obliged by finding ways to score in transition and at the net to establish a comfortable 2-0 cushion.

Betco finished with his usual numbers of 19 points for Benilde, but aside from Rocky Motol’s 11, the Blazers needed more production from their middle blockers against the Tamaraws.

Benilde, which needed to take down De La Salle University to advance to the semifinals, now faces a must-win situation in Game 2 if it hopes to force a deciding contest.