NU Lady Bulldogs stave off UST in epic finals rematch to complete first round sweep

National University bit back and fended off a gritty University Santo Tomas in a thriller, 23-25, 25-17, 19-25, 25-18, 15-9, to complete a first round sweep of the UAAP Season 87 women's volleyball tournament on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

The defending champions ended the first half of the elimination round untainted with a 7-0 win-loss card while their Season 86 finals opponent Golden Tigresses snapped a five-game winning streak to go 5-2. 

A 3-0 start in the fifth set was everything the Lady Bulldogs needed to put away UST for good as veterans Alyssa Solomon and Bella Belen instigated their hot rampage. 

Vange Alinsug made sure to supply the help to her seniors, converting two straight attacks that made it a 6-3 cushion, while Belen took over by going for an off-speed kill and denying Kyla Cordora to create a massive 10-5 cushion. 

UST tried to put some fight behind Regine Jurado and Angge Poyos, who connived to cut the deficit to four at 12-8. But a service error from Cordora and another Alinsug hammer saw NU taking a 14-8 advantage. 

Solomon punctuated the victory by scoring on the open side as Em Banagua lost control of the ball. 

Solomon poured 24 attacks anchored on 21 attack and three blocks while Belen posted 19 markers built on 15 attacks, three aces, and one block to go with17 digs and 15 receptions.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News