When Leo Aringo watched from the sidelines the UAAP Season 81 men’s volleyball tournament championship, the crowd that showed up was pretty thin.

“I saw that championship [game] and there were just a few fans supporting [the men’s tournament],” he said.

There were 14,517 people who showed up for a UAAP Season 87 volleyball game on Saturday, a welcome rarity for the men’s game.

Aringo and his fellow National U Bulldogs made sure their side of the record attendance didn’t go home disappointed.

“It’s one of the things we always hoped, that the men’s game will get noticed,” he said after leading the Bulldogs to a 25-16, 28-26, 25-23 victory over Far Eastern U in the deciding Game 3 of their title series at Mall of Asia Arena.

“Men’s volleyball is starting to get noticed,” Aringo said.

NU coach Dante Alinsunurin wants more of that, though.

“It’s something that our men’s team strongly feels about,” Alinsunurin said. “Every time there are championship matches, that’s the only time when fans watch [the men’s game]. I hope this [big crowd] will continue.”

The kind of drama the championship showdown between the two schools generated was a huge reason for that crowd. FEU rallied to take Game 1 last Sunday, 22-25, 25-22, 13-25, 25-22, 15-13, before NU squared the series with a 25-20, 22-25, 25-15, 18-25, 15-11 win last Wednesday.

It also helped that NU was chasing history, going after an unprecedented fifth crown.

“Our coaches always told us that no one has ever completed a five-peat. It’s really difficult to get but we knew that if we achieve that it will be history,” Aringo said.

Taking over

“My tears welled up with what I saw earlier … men’s volleyball is rising and we are seeing the progress now,” said Alinsunurin, who believes that a steady growth of following in the men’s division will result in even more dramatic games.

“Our players will continue getting motivated with what they see and that will elevate the level of the men’s game.”

Season 87 was special for the Bulldogs beyond the fifth straight crown. The team annexed No. 4 by sweeping FEU behind a roster that included Nico Almendras, setter Josh Retamar and Jenngerard Diao.

Buds Buddin, Aringo and former Rookie of the Year Jade Disquitado were tasked to take over from those seniors.

Leo Ordiales led the Bulldogs with 13 points and Rwenzmel Taguibolos added 10, half of which came from blocks. Aringo and Buddin chipped in 9 points apiece as well as 10 and 11 excellent receptions, respectively.

Filling in the huge void left by Retamar was rookie playmaker Greg Ancheta who tossed 16 excellent sets.

“After Season 86, we knew that it would be a different experience,” Aringo, the Finals MVP and NU captain said.

“So we worked through everything that happened this season. We sacrificed until we got this and it all bore fruit,” he added.

It bore fruit, indeed. And this time, there was a huge crowd to witness it.

“We’re grateful that we had a record for fans in a men’s volleyball game,” Aringo said. “I’m proud of our team, of UAAP volleyball, that [our visibility] is getting higher.”