NU moves to doorstep of crown

Cignal HD Spikers vs. NU-Sta Elena Nationals in the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference Finals. –CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

National University (NU)-Sta. Elena showed a lot of grit in the fourth set to hammer out a 25-21, 20-25, 25-23, 25-18 win over back-to-back defending champion Cignal in Game one of the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference on Thursday at Paco Arena

Now on the cusp of glory, the Nationals will shoot for the crown on Saturday.

NU stalwart Nico Almendras capped a long rally in the fourth with a crosscourt kill that deflated Cignal, 20-17. That furious exchange between both squads was backstopped by the NU defense, which dug out kills and thwarted fiery attacks at the net by Cignal’s Ysay Marasigan.

“We’re very happy [with the victory]. It’s one to go for us and we will work really hard to get that win,” said Almendras, who worked with Michaelo Buddin to close out the match in the fourth set.

With the match tied at one set apiece and the third set knotted at 22, Almendras unloaded two straight kills that powered NU to a 2-1 lead entering the fourth.

Cignal looked poised to force a fifth set after burying NU in an 8-11 hole early in the fourth. But with Buddin spearheading a strong counter-run, NU surged to a 16-12 lead.

Cignal rallied hard behind Marasigan and Marck Espejo but found the NU defense a tough nut to crack and was repeatedly foiled in a long rally that Almendras eventually ended.

Earlier, PGJC-Navy made quick work of VNS-One Alicia, 25-20, 25-19, 25-21, on Thursday to move within another win of bagging bronze.