Espejo sets UAAP record with 55 points, Ateneo forces rubber match vs FEU

FILE PHOTO – The Ateneo Blue Eagles’ Mark Espejo and Manuel Sumanguid celebrate for bagging the championship after beating the NU Bulldogs for the UAAP 79th season Men’s Volleyball at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City Yesterday. (PHOTO BY MIGUEL DE GUZMAN)

Marck Espejo dug deep into his reserves and put on an historical performance to lead defending champion Ateneo past No. 2 Far Eastern University, 18-25, 25-14, 24-26, 25-23, 15-9, in the UAAP Season 80 men’s volleyball Final Four Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.

Espejo set the UAAP scoring record with 55 points as the third seeded Blue Eagles forced a deciding match on Wednesday.

The reigning four-time MVP reached the half-century mark in the fifth set when he gave the Blue Eagles an 8-5 lead.

Espejo then, put Ateneo in match point, 14-9, with a block on Redijohn Paler for his 54th point.

“Marck is a monster,” said Ateneo head coach Oliver Almadro. “Those 55 points don’t matter if you don’t make it at the right time, so he made it at the right time, and that shows that the maturity is there.”

Espejo notched his 55th point, 16 points more than his previous career-high, with an off-the-block kill that gave Ateneo another lease on life and extend its bid for a possible fourth straight title.

Jude Garcia and John Paul Bugaoan had 15 points apiece to lead the Tamaraws while Paler added 12.