Vince Nadera delivered a scintillating 23-point performance – none bigger than his final two off-the-block kills that sealed Alpha Insurance’s heart-stopping come-from-behind 22-25, 25-23, 18-25, 25-22, 18-16 victory over FEU-DN Steel in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan on Sunday.
“Sobrang happy at nakuha namin ang panalo. Thank you kay God at ibinigay Niya sa amin,” said an ecstatic Nadera, whose clutch heroics capped a gritty comeback for the Protectors, who stared at defeat multiple times but refused to yield.
Nadera’s performance came as a surprise to many. After scoring just two points in a limited stint during their four-set win over Savouge – and sitting out entirely in their five-set loss to Cignal – few expected him to make an impact.
But with spark plug JJ Javelona sidelined due to personal reasons, Alpha Insurance head coach Mike Santos turned to Nadera in the second set to replace the struggling Francis Casas.
And Nadera rose to the challenge.
After surrendering the third set and facing a fired-up Tamaraws squad, Alpha Insurance found themselves pushed to the edge. But instead of breaking, the Protectors dug deep – rallying behind Nadera’s relentless attacking, their unyielding defense, and a collective display of heart that turned the tide in the fourth and carried into the thrilling decider.
The final frame was a rollercoaster of nerves and momentum shifts. FEU-DN Steel saved multiple match points, but each time, Alpha Insurance answered back with poise and purpose. When the dust settled, it was Nadera who rose above the blockers to deliver the dagger – a fitting finish to a match defined by determination.
“Mahirap kalaban ang Tamaraws – malakas sila, kaya kailangan din buo ang puso naming,” said Nadera.
The victory marked Alpha Insurance’s second win in three outings, bouncing back strongly after yielding a five-setter to Cignal Super Spikers. With a 2-1 record that matches the Savouge Spin Doctors’ slate, the Protectors remain firmly in contention for a semifinal berth – now brimming with renewed confidence and belief.
“Every game, trabaho lang kami. We always go hard,” Nadera added, hinting at more to come from the revitalized Protectors.
The Protectors saved two match points before Nadera fired a cross-court hit to tie the game at 15. Luis Miguel’s down-the-line attempt then sailed out, putting Alpha Insurance ahead, 16-15.
Lirick Mendoza kept the Tamaraws alive with a huge block on Rocky Motol, but Nadera hammered back-to-back off-the-block hits to seal the one-hour, 11-minute victory against his alma mater.
“Natutuwa ako kasi from a loss, nakabawi kami ngayon,” said Santos, referring to their close-five set defeat against the Super Spikers last Wednesday. “Yun naman ang goal ko rin, kahit sinong makatapat namin it’s going to be a challenge for them.”
“Kasi nagtatrabaho rin naman kami. Mahirap, mahirap din talunin ang FEU dahil solid din na team ‘yan. Galing pa sa champion sa V-League, so ‘yung sistema niyan talagang matibay,” he added.
Motol tallied 20 points built on 18 attacks and two blocks, on top of 29 excellent receptions, while Barbie San Andres added 16 points and eight excellent digs as Alpha Insurance overcame a 1-2 set deficit and prevailed in a tense-filled decider.
With the victory, the Protectors already matched their total win output from their debut conference in just their third game in the Invitationals organized by Sports Vision and supported by Alpha Insurance, Premiere EMS, Buffalo’s Wings N’ Things, and Arena Plus.
Alpha Insurance looks to build from this win, eyeing its first back-to-back victories against University of Santo Tomas-Gameville on Friday, 4 p.m. at the Paco Arena.
On the other hand, FEU-DN Steel fell to 1-2.
Miguel paced the Tamaraws with 17 points, all from the attack line, while Dryx Saavedra and Charles Absin added 13 points apiece in the loss.
Mikko Espartero and Mendoza also contributed 10 points each.
Games are aired live on One Sports and One Sports+, with video-on-demand access available via the Pilipinas Live app. Matches are also streamed on spikersturf.ph.
