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John Bryan Ulanday - The Philippine Star
May 8, 2025 | 12:00am
The Bulldogs, who thus punched their 10th straight finals ticket, will now take on the Far Eastern University Tamaraws in the championship round.
UAAP Media Bureau
MANILA, Philippines — And the National U dynasty is still standing loud and proud in UAAP men’s volleyball.
Four-peat champion NU took care of business against Santo Tomas, 25-23, 25-23, 25-23, to clinch its 10th straight finals yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Bulldogs dropped their Final Four series opener, 24-26, 25-27, 25-19, 18-25, but made the most of their twice-to-beat advantage as the second seed to march on behind a proven and tested pedigree.
NU needed 85 minutes to seal the deal, thus arranging a best-of-three titular showdown with No. 1 seed Far Eastern U starting Sunday also at the Big Dome.
FEU, with a similar win-once bonus, made short work of No. 4 La Salle, 24-26, 25-23, 25-19, 25-20, to take the first finals seat.
And as much as the Bulldogs had a harder time figuring out the fourth-seeded Golden Spikers, whom they swept last finals and twice this season, one win was enough to propel them to a record-breaking 10th straight finale.
Leo Ordiales fired 20 points while Jade Disquitado added 14 as NU erased the nine consecutive finals appearances of Santo Tomas in the 90s to 2000s from Season 57.
NU also tied the record of La Salle women’s team for the longest streak in UAAP volleyball history.
“Nakuha namin ‘yung game na ito siguro dahil sa pag-plano talaga kung ano dapat yung gawin, especially sa matchups talaga since doon kami nagka-problema noong first game namin against UST,” said coach Dante Alinsunurin.
“Sobrang thankful ako sa binigay na panalo sa akin ng players ko. Ang ganda ng ginawa namin,” Alinsunurin added.
The Bulldogs did, repelling every resistance from Santo Tomas in a gutsy sweep – especially in the second set where they unleashed a 4-0 closeout to erase a 21-23 deficit capped by a hit from returning ace Buds Buddin.
Buddin missed the last two games due to an ankle sprain and contributed seven points in the big win that kept the Bulldogs’ five-peat bid alive.
Two-time MVP Josh Ybañez and Game 1 hero Gboy de Vega had 14 and 12 points, respectively, for the Golden Spikers.
