DEFENDING champion National University capped the UAAP women’s volleyball eliminations with a 23-25, 25-17, 25-18, 22-25, 15-9 victory over University of Santo Tomas last night in an epic duel between last season’s finalists before 7,371 fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Tigresses were eyeing to secure the remaining twice-to-beat slot in the Final Four, but the Lady Bulldogs showed resiliency even there is nothing left to play with reigning MVP Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon leading the charge in thr decider to close out the elims with a 12-2 record.

UST ended up tied with La Salle and Far Eastern University from second to fourth spots at 9-5, as well as in the ranking points tiebreaker with 27 points apiece. But the Lady Tamaraws settled for No. 4 to due inferior set ratio and will meet the twice-to-beat Lady Bulldogs in the Final Four for the second straight season.

The Tigresses and the Lady Spikers will duke it out in a playoff for the remaining twice-to-beat berth on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena in a virtual best-of-three series between the two traditional powerhouses.

Earlier, Shai Nitura capped a sensational rookie season with 22 points, nine digs and six receptions as Adamson swept University of the Philippines, 25-13, 25-21, 25-18, to tied its victims in sixth place at 6-8.

Belen had a solid all-around game for NU with 26 points, 17 digs and 17 receptions.

It was a historic debut for Nitura, recording a total of 371 points built on a record six 30-point performances. The Cainta, Rizal native reset the league’s single-season scoring record, across all divisions, rookie scoring record and single-match scoring record in a single season.

Nitura downplayed her remarkable scoring feats this season, as the former high school girls MVP was focused on ending the Lady Falcons campaign on a positive note.

“Ang pinakahighlight ko this year is yung panalo namin ngayon kasi talagang teamwork yung nangyari kanina. Talagang lahat kami, kapag hindi gumagana yung isa, gumagana yung isa. Thankful kami kasi hindi ito yung last, but this is a beginning for a new season na agad,” Nitura said.

The Fighting Maroons, who were eliminated in Final Four contention after losing to the Tigresses last Wednesday, were able to make a huge turnaround after tallying back-to-back one-win outputs in the two previous seasons.

Meanwhile, Jade Disquitado had 23 points as reigning four-time men’s champion NU completed its elimination-round head-to-head sweep of last season’s Finals rival UST, gutting out a 25-22, 20-25, 25-22, 25-22 victory to build momentum heading into the Final Four.

With their sixth consecutive win, the Bulldogs wrapped up the preliminaries in second place with an 12-2 record, setting up a semifinals clash against the same Golden Spikers team that they battled in the last two championship series.

“Kahapon, nalaman namin na no bearing na yung game, pero sinabi ko sa mga players ko na kahit anong mangyari ngayon, dapat i-mindset natin na manalo pa rin kasi yung magiging panalo natin, madadala natin sa Final Four. Nagrespond sila, although may mga set play or plays na naiba ngayon, pero at least kami nakaadjust pa rin kami sa ginawa ng UST,” said NU coach Dante Alinsunurin.

The other Final Four pairing pits top-ranked FEU and No. 4 La Salle.

Nigerian Olayemi Raheem had five blocks for a 21-point outing as UP pulled off a reverse sweep of Adamson, 21-25, 19-25, 25-11, 25-12, 15-12, to end the season at sixth place with 4-10 card.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Theodore P. Jurado