Top-seeded Lady Bulldogs proud to pull off test-of-character win vs Golden Tigresses

MANILA, Philippines -- It was far from perfect, but National University’s’ grueling five-set win over the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses is just what the Lady Bulldogs needed as they go into the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball Final Four.

NU dug deep and defeated UST, 23-25, 25-17, 25-18, 25-22, 15-9 Sunday evening at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

This is the Lady Bulldogs’ fifth straight win over UST stretching to Season 86. The top-seeded squad also finished with a 12-2 record this season.

After the game, Bella Belen voiced pride on her teammates for fighting despite the heart-stopping action.

“I'm very happy kasi nakita kong lumaban yung teammates ko, kahit ganun kapagod. Actually, sobrang nakakapagod talaga yung game, and nakita namin na siyempre gusto rin ng UST manalo. Pero yung teammates ko, hindi ko nakitaan ng takot sa mga mata nila,” she said.

“Kahit pagod kami, gagalaw pa rin kami nang tama, ipapanalo pa rin namin. Na kahit nakuha sa amin yung fourth set, hindi ako nag-doubt na mananalo kami ng fifth set, kasi malaki yung tiwala ko sa teammates ko na maipapanalo namin yung game,” she added.

Alyssa Solomon, for her part, said it is good that the lapses of the team already showed itself.

“Actually, kanina, buti na lang lumabas yung lapses namin, so parang alam na namin kung ano i-adjust sa mga training namin, and dapat alam na namin kung gano dapat kami kabilis mag-adjust, in-game adjustment,” she stressed.

NU committed 27 unforced errors, including crucial ones in the fourth set.

Belen and Solomon exploded against UST. The former had 26 points while the latter produced 23.

Solomon also tipped her hat to her teammates for showcasing their competitiveness in practice to the actual game.

“Siguro kasi, competitive kami as individuals. So parang doon pa lang alam na namin na kaya naming panalo yung mga games namin,” she said.

“As in, competitive talaga kami. Like, maski sa teammates namin hindi kami pumapayag na matalo kami sa kanila.”

The Final Four will tip off next week. NU will take on the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, with the defending champions holding a twice-to-beat advantage.