UST ends NU’s four-year unbeaten run in five-set showdown
By Rob Andrew Dongiapon
The challenge appeared to be tough, but the Golden Tigresses proved that it was not insurmountable.
The UST Golden Tigresses overcame the defending champions and erstwhile undefeated NU Lady Bulldogs in thrilling five sets, 25–23, 27–25, 17–25, 22–25, 15–11, to halt the latter’s near four-year unbeaten run in the UAAP Season 85 Women’s volleyball inside the Mall of Asia Arena, Saturday evening.
Down 2–5 in the final set, the Golden Tigresses rose from the ashes, blasting to an 8–1 charge to turn a once three-point deficit to a four-point UST edge that set up a frenzied fairytale ending for the Thomasian community, 15–11.
The win did not only blemished the Lady Bulldogs’ record this season, but it also ended NU’s 20-game winning run that stretched back to 2019. Coincidentally, it was also the Tigresses who exacted NU’s last loss on that year.
Team captain Eya Laure led the way for the Tigresses with 18 points, from which 14 came off attacks, including the game-winning block kill, while rookie Regina Jurado had an 18-point breakout performance.
Milena Allesandrini, who had hurt her foot early in the third set, finished with 14 markers, including two attacks and one crucial block in the fifth set as she returned in the final frame to help the spirited charge of the Tigresses.
UST zoomed to a terrific start, punishing NU’s floor defense and capitalizing on some costly errors to eke out a two-set advantage over the Lady Bulldogs — the first time this happened dating back to last season.
However, the Lady Bulldogs found their form in the third and fourth set as reigning MVP Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon took NU on their shoulders to force the deciding set.
It was nip-and-tuck from thereon, but NU’s six errors in the fifth set proved to be too much to overcome for the Lady Bulldogs.
Solomon had 22 points, while Belen put up 17, but it all went to naught at the hands of the Tigresses.
UST (2–1) now looks to continue their winning ways against the formidable Adamson Lady Falcons (2–1), who also had a five-set battle with the Lady Bulldogs, on Wednesday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
