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| c/o UAAP |
Games today at the SM Mall of Asia Arena
2 p.m. – UST vs NU (Men's Finals)
4 p.m. – NU vs UST (Women's Finals)
National University seeks to secure an achievement last seen this decade with a double championship Wednesday afternoon at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Bulldogs are looking to match the 2015 achievement of Ateneo de Manila University by securing both collegiate championships.
A couple of phenoms back then pulled off the achievement, with Alyssa Valdez anchoring a 16-0 sweep in the women's division and Marck Espejo finally giving the Blue Eagles their first UAAP men's title.
Fast forward nine years later, and a new set of sensations seek to fulfill that destiny.
Alyssa Solomon led four Lady Bulldogs in double figures with fourteen spikes and three blocks, with Bella Belen potentially making her case as the league's Most Valuable Player with thirteen spikes and eight digs in their 25-23 25-20 25-20 victory last Saturday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
As for the University of Santo Tomas, they remain hopeful for a full deck, pending the availability of Angge Poyos.
The true freshman and likely Rookie of the Year winner stepped on her teammate Em Banagua's foot during the second set with both teams level at 11-11, incurring a right ankle injury that prematurely concluded her participation in Game 1.
Poyos contributed seven points and eight digs at the time, needing assistance to exit the game and was spotted with a walking boot afterwards. It evoked memories of Eya Laure's sprained ankle back in Game 2 against Blue Eagles five years ago.
UST head coach Kungfu Reyes said at the time, "Part yun ng laro na, unfortunately, naka apak ng kasama. Medyo unusual, pero andiyan na, so moving forward, kailangan lang naming may mag step-up."
In case the open spiker misses out on the game, Reyes believes in a collective effort to make up for her absence. "Kung ma-miss out niya yun, sayang yung experience itself. So hopefully, maging motivation yun sa kanila na mag-step up hindi lang isang tao, kundi yung grupo," he adds.
"Yun ang isang bilin namin sa kanila. Hindi namin hinihingi yung output ni Angge sa isang tao. Kailangan talaga nilang mag tulungan. Andiyan pa rin Xzya [Gula], si Reg [Jurado], so depende na lang sa magiging takbo ng ensayo namin," he continued.
With ten points, Jurado was the only Tigress to score in double figures aside from Jonna Perdido, who led the squad with seventeen markers that included the team's lone block point.
Preceeding the women's matchup at 2pm is men's matchup between the same schools.
The Bulldogs are looking to secure their fourth straight title and sixth championship overall, fresh from a 25-17 26-24 25-19 triumph last Saturday afternoon.
Behind a three-man effort of Nico Almendras, Buds Buddin, and Leo Aringo, who combined to score 47 of NU's 76 points in the 78-minute affair.
Kicking things off that day are the league's individual awards that will be handed out at 1pm.
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