NU survives UST in 5-set thriller, moves closer to fourth Shakey’s Super League crown

National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs flexed their championship pedigree after outlasting the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses in a five-set thriller, 15-25, 25-23, 25-17, 13-25, 15-12, during the Game 1 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Preseason Unity Cup Finals, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, Nov. 8.

After absorbing a one-sided defeat in the fourth set, the Lady Bulldogs clawed back in the decider with a 5-0 run in the closing stretch to move within reach of their coveted fourth SSL title.

Fresh off a stint with the U18 national team in Bahrain, young gun Sam Cantada paced NU with 18 markers, while middle blocker Chams Maaya anchored the net defense with eight kill blocks from her 14 points.

A sluggish start doomed the Lady Bulldogs in the opener as UST’s Angge Poyos proved to be an offensive threat as she waxed hot with nine points, steering the Tigresses to a commanding 21-9 lead before Avril Bon’s down-the-line spike drilled it home to draw first blood.

Thirsty for vengeance, the white-clad ladies dug deep in the second frame, with neither side yielding to the pressure, 23-22, until a costly service error rattled the España-based spikers’ poise to give Maaya a clean spike that slid down middle Margaret Altea’s block to seal the equalizer.

Riding the momentum, the reigning UAAP Season 87 champions carried that tempo down to the third canto, peeling off midway behind Kaye Bombita’s back-to-back hits in the right wing to ignite a 6-0 spurt and end with a dominant eight-point surplus. 

But NU’s fervor whittled down under the scoring machinery of a hell-bent Poyos as she spearheaded a whopping 12-0 spree that left the former gasping for air along the end of the fourth set to stage a do-or-die decider.

Bulldog grit took over the final stretch of the fifth salvo as Bombita’s clutch antics towed them from a two-point hole before Maaya had the last laugh as she sent Poyos’ last-ditch spike flying across the court.

Bombita and Venge Alinsug added much-needed firepower with 11 and nine points, respectively, to keep NU’s nine-game win streak spotless.

Meanwhile, Poyos proved to be a thorn for the Bulldogs all game with 20 of her 21 markers from attacks, while Jurado dished an additional 12 points, but all of that wasn’t enough to keep UST’s flawless seven-game skid unscathed.

NU now looks to sustain its winning form as UST licks its wounds and aims to bounce back in game 2 on Saturday, Nov. 15, at the same venue.