FEU rues ‘missed opportunity’ in Final Four loss to NU

FEU Lady Tamaraws during a UAAP Season 87 Final Four loss to NU Lady Bulldogs.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

LIVE: UAAP Season 87 volleyball FINAL FOUR

MANILA, Philippines — Far Eastern University was set away from forcing a rubber match against defending champion National University in the UAAP women’s volleyball Final Four for the second straight year.

But the Lady Tamaraws lost steam in the next two and fell short of completing an upset in the fifth frame as the Lady Bulldogs escaped with a 20-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-14, 17-15 win for their fourth straight finals appearance on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

READ: UAAP: Belen, Solomon take charge as NU avoids Final Four deja vu vs FEU

FEU coach Tina Salak, Tin Ubaldo, Jean Asis, and Chenie Tagaod remain proud despite falling short. #UAAPSeason87 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/U07queJ8ZE

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) May 3, 2025

“It was really a missed opportunity—we were just one small push away, just one last effort. But NU is NU. They won’t give anything away easily. Still, it hurts a bit because we saw that we could’ve done it, but we let it slip just a little,” said setter Tin Ubaldo in Filipino after tallying 22 excellent sets.

Chenie Tagaod, who had 10 points, remained proud of their team despite a second consecutive fourth-place finish.

“I’m so proud of my teammates, especially the seniors. We’ve been through a lot since Season 84, and Coach Tina (Salak) even told us how much the team has improved since then. In just three years, we reached the Final Four twice. That’s huge,” said Tagaod.

“We fell short, yes, but we know we gave our best. We gave everything we had against NU. NU is a champion team, and they have an edge with their long-standing program from high school. But still, we were able to keep up, even with a new coach every year. The team really improved a lot.”

Jean Asis agreed with her fellow senior, lauding the collective effort of the Lady Tamaraws.

READ: UAAP: NU Lady Bulldogs return to finals, rally past FEU

“As seniors, we made sure the younger players didn’t feel intimidated approaching us. We kept things open so we could build strong bonds and connections. There were still boundaries and respect, of course, but at the same time, there was real camaraderie fun both on and off the court,” Asis said. “I think that sense of comfort for the younger ones. That’s what I’ll leave behind.”

The trio didn’t answer what’s next for them after this season but Ubaldo was honored to learn from coach Tina Salak for the past three seasons.

“This season meant a lot to me. After that 1-13 record, when I found out Coach T would be leading us, I really looked forward to the transition, especially we’re both setters,” said Ubaldo. “I expected to learn a lot, and I did. Even with Coach [Manolo Refugia], my mindset was the same. I knew Coach T was guiding him, so I fully trusted them both. Even with all the changes, my trust in the process never wavered because I knew I was going to learn from them.”