NU extends dominance in Shakey’s Super League
STILL untouchable.
National University (NU) extended its dominance in the
Shakey’s Super League, ruling the inaugural tournament after a 25-23, 25-20, 25-20 win over De La Salle University in the winner-take-all final on Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The Lady Bulldogs went undefeated at 8-0 but for a while, the sweep looked like it wasn’t going to happen, as the Lady Spikers gave the former all it can handle in the third set, leading by two, 17-15.
But NU once again showed that championship poise, unleashing a 10–3 run to finish off La Salle and reassert its mastery over the latter just like in the UAAP Season 84 Finals where the Bulldogs swept the Lady Spikers for a 16-0 sweep.
Tournament MVP and Best Opposite Spiker Alyssa Solomon poured 14 points including the clincher to lead the way for NU, while Second Best Outside Spiker Bella Belen backstopped her with 10 and Cess Robles got nine.
First Best Outside Spiker Angel Canino cashed in 14 points to pace La Salle, as first Best Middle Blocker Thea Gagate backstopped her with eight.
Jolina Cruz and Alleliah Malaluan chipped in seven points apiece in a losing effort.
The other tournament awardees are University of Santo Tomas’ (UST) Bernadeth Pepito, Adamson University’s Louie Romero, and NU’s Sheena Toring, who won the Best Libero, Best Setter, and Second Best Middle Blocker plums, respectively.
Meanwhile, Adamson beat UST in the battle for third, 25-27, 2520, 16-25, 25-22, 15-11, to bring home the bronze medal in the 16-team tournament, where all eight UAAP teams and 10 NCAA schools participated.
In the classification matches, Ateneo defeated UP, 25-17, 25-27, 25-20, 25-12, to finish fourth as FEU topped University of Perpetual Help, 25-18, 25-10, 25-27, 25-17, to take the seventh spot.