Ateneo de Manila University made quite a splash on Sunday when its men’s and women’s teams emerged victorious against University of the Philippines (UP) in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 87 volleyball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena.

But stealing the thunder was Far Eastern University (FEU), whose men’s squad shocked defending champion National University.

In the first installment of the Battle of the Katipunan in women’s play, Ateneo clinched its first victory of the season with an imposing 25-18, 25-22, 25-18 win over UP.

Sophia Buena, returning from a minor injury, led the Blue Eagles with 17 points, including the game-winning crosscourt hit in the third set. Lyann De Guzman and Alexis Miner also made significant contributions with 14 and 12 points, respectively.

“It feels really good to be back. We played not just for ourselves, but for the entire Ateneo community, especially for Zel [Tsunashima] and JLo [Delos Santos],” Buena said.

The Blue Eagles secured their first win in their third game after losing to Adamson University in their opening match, followed by a loss to NU.

“Sometimes we win, sometimes the opponent wins. We need to know what to do for the next game. We need to adjust all the time,” said head coach Sergio Veloso.

With the victory, Ateneo improved to 1-2, placing seventh in the standings, while UP suffered its first loss, dropping to second place with a 2-1 record. Irah Jaboneta led the Fighting Maroons with 11 points, all from attacks.

Earlier in the day, the Ateneo men’s team shook off a sluggish start to overpower UP, 23-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-19.

The Blue Eagles overcame early errors, fueled by standout performances from Jian Salarzon and Ken Batas.

Batas led the team with 17 points on 16 attacks and 18 excellent receptions, while Salarzon matched his tally with 14 attacks, three blocks, and 10 receptions.

With the win, Ateneo climbed to solo third in the standings with a 2-1 record, while UP slid to 1-2, dropping to sixth place.

“These past three games have been great learning experiences. If we put together what we’ve learned, we’ll be well-prepared for FEU,” said Ateneo head coach Vince Mangulabnan.

FEU pulled off the day’s biggest feat when it scored a 27-25, 25-14, 25-23 following their noontime clash.

The Tamaraws now sit atop the men’s standings as the only unbeaten team with a 3-0 record, while NU falls into a tie for second with Ateneo at 2-1.

Dryx Saavedra spearheaded FEU’s charge with 20 points on 17 attacks and three blocks. Talisayan added 11 points, including three aces and two blocks, while Bituin provided a crucial spark off the bench with 10 points.

Setter Ariel Cacao orchestrated the offense with 14 excellent sets as FEU eyes extending its winning streak against Ateneo next Sunday also at the same Pasay City venue.