The Ultras faced an uphill battle after losing the first two sets by narrow margins, with the Griffins proving steadier in tightly-fought finishes. Both sets could have swung either way, but the Griffins, leveraging their experience, found a way to close out the points in their favor, igniting hopes for an upset over their in-form rivals.
However, the Ultras were determined to turn the tide.
“A win is a win. Kung ano ‘man ‘yung standing ng VNS, medyo pangit ‘man ‘yung showing naming nung unang dalawang set, ganun talaga siguro. Kailangan ituon ‘yung utak,” said FEU head coach Eddieson Orcullo after steering the Ultras to their fourth straight victory.
Led by Dryx Saavedra and Jelord Talisayan, the Ultras regrouped and found their rhythm in the third set, turning a late surge into a complete momentum shift in the fourth match that went the distance in the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.
Saavedra, who ultimately scored 16 points to claim the game’s top honors, energized his team with an aggressive offensive display and relentless spirit that carried over into the final two sets. Their renewed focus, along with precise team coordination, enabled the Ultras to dominate and reverse the flow of the match.
After forcing a decider behind a stifling 8-1 closing run in the fourth, DN Steel-FEU showed no intention of letting up. The Ultras shook off an early struggle against the gutsy Griffins then imposed their will midway through the fifth set, building a 11-6 lead on a decisive 5-0 run keyed by Talisayan that put pressure on the Griffins.
A service error by Lirick Mendoza and a net violation by Doula Ndongala gave VNS two free points, but the Congolese middle blocker quickly redeemed himself with back-to-back points. This led to a Benny Martinez ace, putting the Ultras at match point, 14-8.
Roderick Medino kept VNS alive with a crucial kill, and the Ultras conceded another point due to miscommunication. However, Talisayan scored off the block on his second attempt, securing the win in two hours and three minutes."
“Ang lagi nating sinasabi ‘wag mag-relax eh, pero kasi alam mo ‘yung power of the mind kapag sinabing wala pang panalo ‘yung kalaban, medyo pangit ‘yung standing, tapos nasa maganda kang posisyon, ‘yung ganung sistema tumatatak sa utak ng kahit sinong player,” added Orcullo.
Ndongala led the way for FEU with 17 points, including six blocks, while Luis Miguel came off the bench to fire 13 points, and Talisayan and Mendoza added 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Martinez tossed 22 excellent sets to go along with five points, while Vennie Paul Ceballos registered 12 excellent receptions and five excellent digs.
Reflecting on the match, Saavedra acknowledged the team’s initial struggles with communication and cohesion, which contributed to their slow start.
"Medyo hindi kami nagka-intindihan sa first two sets, hindi kami nag-connect. But we stayed composed," he said, pointing to the Ultras' ability to regroup and stay calm under pressure as a key factor in their comeback.
He also cautioned his team against complacency, hinting that they may have underestimated their opponents initially.
“Ang mindset dapat hindi maging complacent. Kasi ang VNC, may programa din sila. Dapat hindi namin sinabayan ang laro nila,” added Saavedra, emphasizing the importance of maintaining focus and intensity regardless of the opposition’s record.
Despite the hard-fought win, Saavedra was not fully satisfied.
"We were expecting to win it in 3 or 4 sets. Pero hindi talaga maiiwasan kasi malakas din ang kabila,” he admitted, acknowledging the Griffins’ strength and resilience in pushing the match to the limit.
The Ultras shoot for No. 5 against the winless Martelli Meats side at 6 p.m. on Friday at the Ynares Sports Arena.
Meanwhile, VNS dropped to 1-3 in a tie with D’Navigators for seventh.
CJ Segui paced the Griffins with 22 points and made 13 excellent receptions and four digs, while Medino had 16 points, 15 of which came from attacks.
VNS will try to bounce back against PGJC-Navy at p.m. on Wednesday.
