14Ok gold: Record crowd witnesses NU five-peat

When Leo Aringo watched from the sidelines the UAAP Season 81 males’s volleyball event championship, the group that confirmed up was once beautiful skinny.

“I saw that championship [game] and there were just a few fans supporting [the men’s tournament],” he stated.

There have been 14,517 individuals who confirmed up for a UAAP Season 87 volleyball recreation on Saturday, a welcome rarity for the boys’s recreation.

Aringo and his fellow National U Bulldogs made positive their facet of the document attendance didn’t move house disenchanted.

“It’s one of the things we always hoped, that the men’s game will get noticed,” he stated after main the Bulldogs to a 25-16, 28-26, 25-23 victory over Far Eastern U within the deciding Game 3 in their name sequence at Mall of Asia Arena.

“Men’s volleyball is starting to get noticed,” Aringo stated.

NU trainer Dante Alinsunurin desires extra of that, regardless that.

“It’s something that our men’s team strongly feels about,” Alinsunurin stated. “Every time there are championship matches, that’s the only time when fans watch [the men’s game]. I hope this [big crowd] will continue.”

The more or less drama the championship showdown between the 2 faculties generated was once an enormous reason why for that crowd. FEU rallied to take Game 1 ultimate Sunday, 22-25, 25-22, 13-25, 25-22, 15-13, prior to NU squared the sequence with a 25-20, 22-25, 25-15, 18-25, 15-11 win ultimate Wednesday.

It additionally helped that NU was once chasing historical past, going after an extraordinary 5th crown.

“Our coaches always told us that no one has ever completed a five-peat. It’s really difficult to get but we knew that if we achieve that it will be history,” Aringo stated.

Taking over

“My tears welled up with what I saw earlier … men’s volleyball is rising and we are seeing the progress now,” stated Alinsunurin, who believes {that a} stable enlargement of following within the males’s department will lead to much more dramatic video games.

“Our players will continue getting motivated with what they see and that will elevate the level of the men’s game.”

Season 87 was once particular for the Bulldogs past the 5th immediately crown. The group annexed No. 4 via sweeping FEU at the back of a roster that integrated Nico Almendras, setter Josh Retamar and Jenngerard Diao.

Buds Buddin, Aringo and previous Rookie of the Year Jade Disquitado have been tasked to take over from the ones seniors.

Leo Ordiales led the Bulldogs with 13 issues and Rwenzmel Taguibolos added 10, part of which got here from blocks. Aringo and Buddin chipped in 9 issues apiece in addition to 10 and 11 very good receptions, respectively.

Filling within the massive void left via Retamar was once rookie playmaker Greg Ancheta who tossed 16 very good units.

“After Season 86, we knew that it would be a different experience,” Aringo, the Finals MVP and NU captain stated.

“So we worked through everything that happened this season. We sacrificed until we got this and it all bore fruit,” he added.

It bore fruit, certainly. And this time, there was once an enormous crowd to witness it.

“We’re grateful that we had a record for fans in a men’s volleyball game,” Aringo stated. “I’m proud of our team, of UAAP volleyball, that [our visibility] is getting higher.”