UAAP: NU outlasts UST, sets up women's volleyball finals rematch with La Salle

National University outlasted the University of Santo Tomas, 20-25, 26-24, 26-24, 25-21, in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball stepladder semifinals on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to advance to the finals.

The second-seeded, three-peat-seeking Lady Bulldogs will face De La Salle University, which had already secured a finals berth after sweeping the elimination round.

UST led 18-14 in the final set before the Lady Bulldogs unleashed a 6-0 run to seize the momentum. A service error from NU halted the surge, but the Lady Bulldogs quickly regrouped with another 4-0 run to reach match point. Reg Jurado and Angge Poyos saved two match points for UST, but an Alexa Mata block sealed the victory for NU.

Arah Panique led the Lady Bulldogs with 23 points and three digs, while Vange Alinsug contributed 18 points, 16 receptions, and seven digs. Chammy Maaya added 14 points, while Mata chipped in 10.

For UST, Jurado tallied 19 points and 12 digs, while Poyos and Jonna Perdido scored 16 and 15 points, respectively. Detdet Pepito, in her final year with the Golden Tigresses, had 23 digs and eight receptions as the España-based squad bowed out.

The win marks NU’s fifth straight finals appearance since Season 84. It will also be the second consecutive finals meeting—and the fourth in the last five seasons—between NU and La Salle.

—JKC, GMA News