National University found itself in unfamiliar waters after yielding the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s volleyball finals opener for the first time in five seasons.

Despite their championship experience and winning the last four editions, the Bulldogs suffered a late meltdown in a 25-22, 22-25, 25-13, 22-25, 13-15, defeat to Far Eastern University in Game 1 of the best-of-three Season 87 finale Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The loss snapped NU’s streak of eight straight championship game wins since 2018.

However, NU head coach Dante Alinsunurin remained unfazed and defiant.

“There’s still a game after this,” Alinsunurin said after his team’s second defeat to the Tamaraws following a split of the elimination round.

“We just need to bounce back, rebound. What’s important is we accept our loss and work harder in our next game.”

NU looked in control of the match after taking a 2-1 lead following a dominating third set victory. FEU, however, fought back in the fourth to force a decider.

Alinsunurin gambled in the tightly contested fifth set with a double substation, putting in seldom-used setter Jeffe Gallego and spiker Jan Abanilla for Greg Ancheta and Leo Ordiales.

It backfired as the duo committed back-to-back errors that buried NU further, 10-13. The Bulldogs trimmed the deficit to one, but Buds Buddin sent his serve long in the next play for the last of the team’s atrocious 34 errors.

NU saved one match point before eventually surrendering the two-hour, 31-minute encounter.

The Bulldogs, hoping to become the first team in the Final Four era to complete a five-peat, found themselves in a second do-or-die situation in the playoffs.

NU was forced to use its twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four to fend off last year’s runner-up University of Santo Tomas.

“It’s just part of the game. Hopefully, it will help the team improve. We can see and identify our struggle in every important game, or even while holding a twice-to-beat (advantage). Now we’re on another do-or-die (situation),” Alinsunurin said.

Game 2 is on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“Again, this will only make us stronger.”