NU outlasts La Salle, stays perfect

In a showdown between unbeaten teams, National University walked away with a perfect record after outlasting defending champion La Salle, 26-24, 19-24, 22-25, 25-17, 16-14, in the UAAP Season 80 women’s volleyball tournament Sunday at Filoil Flying V Centre.

The Lady Bulldogs now own sole possession of the No. 1 spot in the standings with a 4-0 record, the best start in recent memory, while the Lady Spikers slipped to second at 3-1.

It was business as usual for Jaja Santiago, who dominated anew with 27 points for NU.

“These players delivered,” said NU coach Babes Castillo in Filipino as he pointed to Santiago and setter Jasmine Nabor. “Actually the only thing I did was remind them on what they had to do.”

La Salle took a 12-8 lead in the fifth set, before Santiago rallied NU to match point, 14-13, with a brutal quick kill from the middle.

May Luna was able to tie the set at 14-14 but Santiago once again proved her worth when she powered home Nabor’s pass for a 15-14 lead, before Aiko Urdas iced the match with a service ace.

Undermanned University of Santo Tomas, though, made quick work of Adamson, 25-9, 31-29, 25-19, in the second game.

Leaning on Cherry Rondina anew, the Tigresses improved to 2-2 and forced a four-way logjam at the third spot with the Lady Falcons, Ateneo, and Far Eastern University.

Rondina led all scorers with 22 points.