UNIVERSITY of the East (UE) finally snapped a 23-game slump with a thrilling 25-22, 20-25, 25-23, 30-32, 15-12 victory over Adamson University (ADU) in the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday.
The Red Warriors overcame the Falcons’ 23 blocks to secure their first win in nearly two years.
Before this long stretch marked by a winless Season 87, UE’s last victory came in a 25-21, 19-25, 28-30, 27-25, 15-12 triumph over the University of the Philippines during Season 86’s first round on March 17, 2024.
After falling short to the Fighting Maroons in five sets in the season opener, the Red Warriors got it right this time.
For assistant coach Jumbo Dimaculangan, this win is proof that UE is making progress despite being one of the youngest teams in the tournament with eight rookies.
The Soaring Falcons grabbed an early 7-5 lead in the deciding set, but the Red Warriors responded with four straight points, powered by Raquim Aceron and CJ Nabora’s back-to-back hits, along with two Adamson errors, to take a 9-7 advantage.
After Adamson tied it at 10, UE pulled away for good with four unanswered points — Nabora’s attack, Gerald Perit’s contribution and two Falcons’ errors — to reach four match points at 14-10.
Nabora, who played libero in their opener, sealed the win with an off-the-block kill, giving UE its first victory in three games after two hours and 26 minutes.
Nabora finished with 17 points on 15 spikes and two blocks, along with 13 receptions and seven digs.
Sophomore spiker Raquim Aceron led UE with 24 points and 21 excellent receptions, while rookie Mark Lee Budias contributed an impressive 16 points.
The Red Warriors also turned the Falcons’ 23-block effort into a 73-63 advantage in spikes, creating a tie for fourth place with identical 1-2 records in the standings.