The FEU Tamaraws pulled off a dramatic comeback to foil the five-peat aspirations of the NU Bulldogs, carving out a gritty five-set victory, 22-25, 25-22, 13-25, 25-22, 15-13, in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball Finals on Sunday (11 May 2025) at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

FEU bounced back from 0-1 and 1-2 set deficits, showing resilience down the stretch to inch closer to their first men’s volleyball title in 13 years—and their 26th overall championship.

Amet Bituin sealed the match with an off-the-block kill, finishing with 16 points. Zhydryx Saavedra delivered a stellar performance with 25 points and six digs, while Mikko Espartero added 10 markers to bolster FEU’s attack.

Leo Ordiales led NU with 23 points in a hard-fought effort that ultimately fell short.