National University celebrates after winning the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball championship, May 15, 2024 at the Mall of Asia Arena. UAAP MediaMANILA (UPDATED) — The National University Lady Bulldogs are UAAP women's volleyball champions yet again.

The Jhocson-based spikers clinched their fourth league title -- and second in three seasons -- after they defeated University of Santo in a four-set thriller, 25-23, 23-25, 27-25, 25-16, in Game 2 of the Season 86 Finals on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Finals MVP Alyssa Solomon headed the ferocious bite of the Lady Bulldogs as the Season 86 Best Opposite Spiker delivered a season-high of 27 points that were built on 20 attacks, four blocks, and three aces.

"Sobrang saya sa heart kasi hindi rin kami sumuko basta-basta lang. Nilaban talaga namin yung game kanina, at sa buong season naman ang dami naming pinagdaanan. Happy kasi ako sa team kasi kumapit pa rin kami sa isa't isa," she said right after their victory. 

Newly-crowned and now two-time Most Valuable Player awardee Belle Belen backstopped Solomon as she had 19 markers together with 11 digs and nine receptions. 

"We're very happy kasi yung mga pinaghirapan namin sa training and as a team, talagang nakita kong nagbunga," she said after the game, sharing how fulfilling this particular title is. 

"Yung emosyon kanina, sobrang taas, sobrang iyak talaga nang iyak, parang ito na, nasuklian lahat ng pagod namin. Lahat ng paghihirap namin sa training, sa school, sa lahat ng paghihirap na pwede niyong isipin, andun na. Yun, nasuklian talaga. Eto yung parang pinaka masarap, pinakamagandang sukli sa amin ni God. Amen."

READ: NU star Bella Belen is UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball MVP

Vange Alinsug followed with 13, while Lams Lamina and Sheena Toring contributed 17 excellent sets and eight points, respectively. 

After both teams each earned wins in the first two sets, the Norman Miguel-coached team figured in a close encounter in the third after UST's Xyza Gula and Jonna Perdido exchanged hits with NU's Solomon, Belen, and Alinsug.

NU saw themselves down by one, 25-24, but Belen took charge and fired the Lady Bulldogs to set point, 26-25, after an off-the-block kill.

In the next play, Toring finally wrapped up the third set after she scored through a block on Gula. 

The Lady Bulldogs leaned on this momentum in the fourth and were able to build a 17-12 lead, thanks to the efforts of Belen as well as the costly errors of the Golden Tigresses, and this advantage proved to be enough as they finally reclaimed the championship after failing to defend it last season. 

This marks the first time that National U won both the men's and women's volleyball titles in the same season -- the Bulldogs swept their own Finals series against the UST Golden Spikers earlier in the day. 

NU is the first school to complete a golden double in volleyball since Ateneo de Manila University in Season 77.

READ: National U sweeps UST to complete UAAP men’s volleyball four-peat

NU's Alyssa Solomon towers over the UST defense in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball Finals, May 15, 2024 at the Mall of Asia Arena. UAAP Media

Meanwhile, Gula, who stepped up for the injured Angge Poyos, top-scored for Kung Fu Reyes' team with 18 points. She also contributed 11 receptions as well as 10 digs for UST.

Perdido also continued to impose her presence after her stellar Game 1 performance, finishing with 14 markers, 10 receptions, and six digs this time around. 

Reg Jurado and Em Banagua scored 13 each for the Golden Spikers, Cassie Carballo tossed 16 excellent sets, while Detdet Pepito had an 18-reception, 15-dig performance.

Poyos, who received the Rookie of the Year honors earlier in the day, played hobbled in the game, and she ended up with one point, and one reception in limited action for UST.

But regardless of their defeat against NU, Coach Kung remained proud of how they defied the odds and still earned a spot in the championship round. 

"Sabi nga namin sa dugout kanina, proud kami sa mga bagets na 'to, na nilaban hanggang sa dulo pero talagang kapos lang gaya ng sinasabi natin," he said during the postgame presser for the Golden Tigresses.

"Marami kaming takeaways this time. Yung history na gusto naming rewrite, hindi ayun ang nangyari. Naiba yung kwento pero yun nga, sa huli proud kami sa mga players especially kay Xyza [na nag step up] in absence of Poyos."