NU sends UST to a logjam with La Salle

MANILA, Philippines — Reigning champion National U denied Santo Tomas an outright twice-to-beat edge while shoring up its own bid with a gutsy 23-25, 25-17, 25-18, 22-25, 15-9 win at the close of the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball eliminations yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Reigning MVP Bella Belen stamped her class with 26 points on 24 hits and two blocks as the Lady Bulldogs, already assured of the No. 1 seed and the first twice-to-beat incentive, sent the Golden Tigresses to a knockout match against the La Salle Lady Spikers for the last bonus.

A win by Santo Tomas could have given it the No. 2 seed right away but got tied with La Salle instead at 9-5 as NU (12-2) primed up for a semis showdown with fourth seed Far Eastern U (9-5).

Santo Tomas and La Salle slug it out in a playoff on Wednesday followed by the Final Four duel for both women’s and men’s divisions on Saturday.

The Final Four cast mirrored the same pairings last year when NU took care of business against FEU despite losing Game 1 before sweeping Santo Tomas in the finale to win its second crown in the last three seasons.

Belen made sure of it by adding 17 digs and 13 receptions in yet another all-around brilliance to boost her back-to-back MVP bid.