NU Lady Bulldogs' Vange Alinsug in action in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum on March 20, 2024. UAAP Media

MANILA (UPDATED) – The National University continued to assert its mastery over the University of the Philippines.

The Lady Bulldogs recovered from a loss in an extended second set to hand the Fighting Maroons a 25-21, 30-32, 25-17, 25-19 beating in four sets on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

For UP, it was a disappointing result as they failed to build on the momentum of their breakthrough victory against the University of the East last Sunday.

READ: UAAP: UP arrests long losing skid after breakthrough win against UE

Vange Alinsug stuffed the stat sheet with her all-around gameplay after logging 24 points on 20 attacks, three aces, and a block alongside 12 excellent receptions, while former collegiate league Most Valuable Player (MVP) Bella Belen chipped in 21 markers on 18 attacks and three aces to go along with 14 excellent receptions. 

It was also a bounce back win for the Lady Bulldogs after losing against De La Salle University, which Belen acknowledged that was a tough pill to swallow. 

"Du'n naman po sa team ko, sa team namin, I believe nag-slow start kami. Hindi ko po alam kung anong naging dahilan kung bakit. Siguro dahil hindi kami nakapag-warm up nang maayos," said Belen during the postgame press conference. 

"...And parang 'yung utak ng team is parang kahit sinasabi po namin na naka-move on na kami du'n sa pagkatalo sa La Salle, I think meron pa rin talagang slight na parang hindi pa rin talaga naka-move on and parang gustong-gusto naming bumawi. And ta's sobrang kakaisip namin na gusto namin bumawi, hindi kami makagalaw nang maayos," the Bulldogs' leader added. 

(As of my team, our team, I believe we started slow. I don't know why, maybe because we did not warm up well. And even though my team says that we have moved on from the La Salle loss, there's still a part that stings and we wanted to exact revenge. And the more we think about it, we have not moved well.) 

READ: UAAP: UST makes quick work of UP to stay unbeaten in Season 86

READ: UAAP: Ybañez, UST vent ire on UP to halt losing skid

The Fighting Maroons poured their hearts out after winning extended Set 2, as a check ball courtesy of Joan Monares and a block from Heart Magsombol from a 30-all count leveled the match at 1-1. 

"'Yung sa nilaro po ng UP, talagang lumaban po sila, and then talagang pinakita po nila kung ano po 'yung kaya nilang gawin against us," said Belen as she gave credit to the Fighting Maroons' grit. 

(With how UP played, they really fought and they showed what they could do against us.) 

But the Lady Bulldogs prevailed in the next frames, as the Norman Miguel-coached squad pulled away in the final chapter as Aisha Bello finished the two-hour, six-minute match with a hit on the opposing side of the court. 

Steph Bustrillo paced the state university with 17 points, while Pling Baclay came close to Ateneo's Maddie Madayag league record of 11 blocks after the former put up nine. 

UP had a total of 15 blocks when the dust settled.

READ: UAAP: UST targets win No. 8 against Ateneo

READ: UAAP: Why UP’s first win was extra special for Steph Bustrillo

READ: UAAP: NU escapes Ateneo in 5 sets for first win