The NU Bulldogs may have finished the first round in second place, but for the Bulldogs, it was far from enough. Just ask one of the team’s pillars, Leo Ordiales, who is looking for something impactful to finish off the second round of the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Volleyball Tournament.
The Bulldogs absorbed their first loss of the season against the FEU Tamaraws, who completed a first-round sweep. They then suffered another setback at the hands of the La Salle Green Spikers at the end of the first round of eliminations.
Heading into the second round, Ordiales made the team’s mindset clear: redemption and a clean sweep.
“Lahat kami bawing-bawi naman eh kasi nung first round maganda ‘yung simula namin, tapos biglang nagbago,” said Ordiales after the Bulldogs’ straight-sets win over the University of the East Red Warriors.
“Ngayon, ang mindset namin ay talagang kung sino ang nakatalo sa amin, babawian namin. Tinatry talaga naming isweep itong second round.”
Ordiales, Bulldogs Close to Accomplishing Lofty Goal
With their win over the Red Warriors, the Bulldogs have now won five straight in the second round, including handing FEU its first loss of the tournament.
Next on their list is La Salle—the same team that shocked them in the first round—a squad already on the verge of being eliminated from Final Four contention.
For head coach Dante Alinsunurin, the focus remains on timing their peak.
“Mas nagpi-prepare kami sa bandang dulo kasi alam namin na pagdating sa dulo, ‘yun talaga ang napakaimportante,” he said.
“Kahit last game, kung sino man ang makaharap, kailangan push talaga sa limit namin kasi sa volleyball, ‘yung momentum sobrang importante.”
Zooming into the Final Four
Leo Ordiales echoed the same, emphasising the value of momentum heading into the Final Four.
“Sa amin, importante ‘yung winning streak kasi papasok na naman sa Final Four,” he said.
“Iba na rin kasi ‘yung laro sa Final Four kumpara sa elimination, kaya kailangan talaga taasan mo ‘yung kumpiyansa mo, kasi maraming magbabago.”
With a potential second-round sweep in sight, the Bulldogs are making sure they enter the postseason with both confidence and unfinished business as they chase a sixth straight title.
