FEU stays perfect, but Saavedra stresses there's more work to do

Far Eastern University may have opened its title-retention campaign in the 2025 V-League Collegiate Challenge with a spotless record, but for opposite spiker Dryx Saavedra, the Tamaraws are just scratching the surface.

After grinding out back-to-back four-set wins over UAAP contender Ateneo de Manila University and NCAA titleholder Arellano University, the defending champions showed flashes of dominance but also revealed cracks that Saavedra could not ignore. Costly errors and lapses threatened to undo their efforts, keeping the Tamaraws from putting their opponents away cleanly.

But when the stakes were raised against their fiercest rivals, FEU responded with their best volleyball yet.

In a rematch of the UAAP Season 87 finals, Saavedra carried the Tamaraws on his shoulders, exploding for 20 points to spearhead a resounding 25-21, 25-20, 25-23 sweep of defending UAAP champion National University on Sunday at the Paco Arena Events and Sports Center.

“Sa akin kasi sa totoo lang, talagang napagusapan na nung team na nung past two games namin, medyo hindi ‘yon yung laro namin. Talagang binigyan namin ng time kagabi na pagusapan talaga na dapat every game, lalo na against NU, dapat i-all out namin,” said the 21-year-old spiker, whose scoring and leadership anchored FEU’s performance.

“Yung past two games namin, hindi pa kami ‘yon. Doon lang sa part na buti talaga napagusapan kagabi and nagawa ng team yung best nila at yung parte nila para sa panalo na ito,” he added.

According to Saavedra, the breakthrough was sparked not by a change in strategy but by a change in mindset. A long, heartfelt talk the night before—and the added motivation of honoring captain Ariel Cacao, who sat out due to personal matters—lit the fire FEU needed to play with joy and urgency.

That shift in energy was palpable. The Tamaraws opened strong, held their composure during crucial stretches, and closed out NU in straight sets. In the second frame, they turned a slim 21-20 lead into a runaway win. In the third, they staved off a Bulldogs surge, sealing the match with a decisive 4-1 run to improve to 3-0 and join La Salle as the only unbeaten squads in the tournament.

“Sobrang saya kasi nakitaan ko yung team ulit ng gana sa loob ng court. Yung enjoyment namin, totoo na and kita mo yung eagerness ng lahat na magawa yung best nila sa game. Good thing na against NU, naging effective yung mga napagusapan namin,” said the native of Igbaras, Iloilo.

Even with NU missing key players Peng Taguibolos, Buds Buddin, Leo Ordiales, and Jade Disquitado due to national team duties, the win carried weight for the Tamaraws, who have had their share of battles against the Bulldogs. Still, Saavedra knows there’s no room for complacency.

“Palagi dapat maging eager sa pagkuha ng improvement everyday. Malayong malayo pa yung UAAP, kaya dapat pataas nang pataas yung game namin para pag malapit na, i-pperfect na lang namin siya at gagawin namin yung part namin na well intact at upgraded na yung skills namin. Yung mga pressure, sana by then, hindi na maramdaman ng team sa loob ng court,” he said.