National University (NU) continued its dominance over the University of Santo Tomas (UST), putting a dent in the Golden Tigresses’ twice-to-beat hopes in the UAAP Season 87 Final Four.
The Lady Bulldogs pulled off a thrilling 5-set win — 23-25, 25-17, 25-18, 22-25, 15-9 — during their Round 2 face-off Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. This marked NU’s fifth straight victory over UST, a streak that started last season.
Bella Belen once again proved why she’s one of NU’s biggest stars, delivering 26 points from 24 attacks and two blocks. She also contributed heavily on defense with 17 digs and 13 receptions. Yet, for Belen, the real highlight was how her teammates kept fighting through fatigue.
"I could see my teammates giving it their all, even if they were exhausted. It was really tiring, but no one showed fear. We just wanted to win," Belen said after the 2-hour and 24-minute showdown. Even after dropping the fourth set, she said she had full confidence they would bounce back strong in the fifth — and they did, sealing the win with a late 6-2 run after holding a slim 9-7 lead.
Alongside Belen, Alyssa Solomon also made her presence felt with 23 points and six digs, while Vange Alinsug chipped in 19 points, nine digs, and a couple of receptions.
This victory pushed NU to a 12-2 record, locking in their spot at the top and setting up a Final Four clash with Far Eastern University.
Meanwhile, UST, now tied with De La Salle University at 9-5, faces a must-win game against the Lady Spikers on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena. The winner will secure the twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals.
Even in defeat, Reg Jurado stood tall for UST with 19 points, 12 digs, and seven receptions, while Angge Poyos and Beth Hilongo added 15 and 12 points, respectively, in the hard-fought match.
0 Comments