REDEMPTION complete.

Showing no quit, La Salle rallied from two sets down to dethrone National University, 19-25, 22-25, 25-15, 25-17, 15-10, and secure its first title in five years in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament before 20,514 fans at the Mall of Asia Arena last night.

The Lady Bulldogs went to war without Sheena Toring, who was been diagnosed with a partial ACL tear on her left knee which she sustained late in the Finals opener after a bad landing on Thea Gagate’s foot.

Without its ace middle blocker, a motivated NU side took the first two sets and was poised to send the series to a decider.

But La Salle, the league’s third most successful program which annexed its 12th crown overall, showed steely resolve the winning the next two sets to extend the match.

A Gagate quick gave the Lady Spikers a 5-1 advantage in the deciding set, when Alyssa Solomon presided the Lady Bulldogs fightback to tie the match at 7-7.

Gagate took over once again, converting a quick and back-to-back blocks to put La Salle at 13-9.

Alleiah Malaluan put the Lady Spikers at championship point before Solomon’s kill gave the Lady Bulldogs a lifeline.

Gagate produced the title-sealing quick, her 17th point of the match for the Lady Spikers.

The league’s newest women’s volleyball rivalry, La Salle avenged last season’s Finals defeat to NU, which completed a perfect 16-0 campaign.

The Lady Spikers also won all of their four meetings with the Lady Bulldogs this year.

Newly-minted Rookie-MVP Angel Canino had six service aces for a 19-point outing and had eight receptions while setter Mars Alba tossed in 16 excellent sets to become the Finals MVP.

Newcomer Shevana Laput had five blocks, including two on Mhicaela Belen in the fifth set, to finish with 12 points while Fifi Sharma added 11 points for La Salle.

The defeat negated Alyssa Solomon’s season-high 34 points for NU. Mhicaela Belen was the other Lady Bulldog in double digits with 11 points.

Earlier, NU annexed its third consecutive men’s volleyball championship and completed a perfect 16-0 season after a 25-20, 25-21, 25-20 conquest of University of Santo Tomas.

Mike Buddin capped a remarkable first season for the Bulldogs with 20 points on 18-of-34 kills and 10 receptions, while setter Josh Retamar was named the Finals MVP after logging 17 excellent sets and matching Nico Almendras’ team-best two blocks.

Extending its winning streak to 34 matches dating back from 2019, NU became the first team to complete an unbeaten season since Marck Espejo-led Ateneo won all of its 16 matches in 2017.

“Pumunta kami dito talagang nakita ko sa players ko na gusto nilang manalo. Credit sa mga player ko talagang tinrabaho namin after ng Game 1 namin alam namin yung lapses namin buti na lang itong Game 2 lumabas talaga yung gusto namin mangyari sa loob ng court and nakuha namin yung game,” said Bulldogs coach Dante Alinsunurin.

“Sobrang happy kami kasi first time na mangyari sa NU na makasweep kami, makuha namin yung three-peat, and yung history namin na 34-game winning streak,” he added.

La Salle’s Jolina Dela Cruz and Canino swept the Best Outside Spiker awards, while Far Eastern University’s Jov Fernandez copped the Best Opposite Spiker trophy.

Gagate and University of the Philippines’ Niña Ytang bagged the 1st and 2nd Best Middle Blocker award, respectively. Alba took the Best Setter honors while UST’s Det Pepito secured the Best Libero plum.

Despite the defeat, it was still a great season for the Golden Spikers, who pushed the Bulldogs to the limit in the series opener before falling short in their bid to pull off a reversal.

Newly-minted Rookie-MVP Josh Ybañez led the way for UST with 13 points while GBoy de Vega chipped in 10 points.

“For this season, we already overachieved when we reached the Finals,” said Golden Spikers coach Odjie Mamon.

Ybañez and Buddin won the 1st and 2nd Best Outside Spiker award, respectively, while UST’s Jay Rack de la Noche bagged the Best Opposite Spiker plum.

NU’s Obet Mukaba and La Salle’s Billie Anima went home with the 1st and 2nd Best Middle Blocker award, respectively. Best Setter went to Retamar while Ateneo’s Lance de Castro emerged as Best Libero.