MANILA, Philippines - The real National U has finally showed up.
Flaunting the same deadly form that made them the favorites all tournament long, the Lady Bulldogs clipped the Lady Eagles' wings and scraped their way to a 26-24, 25-22, 25-23 victory Sunday night to force a deciding match in the Shakey's V-League 10-First Conference at the MOA Arena in Pasay City.
Myla Pablo showed why she's the league's Best Attacker as she pummeled in 15 hits including 13 on attacks while reigning MVP Dindin Santiago exploded with 12 after she was limited to her league worst five in a disappointing 15-25 22-25 23-25 defeat in Game One Thursday at the same venue.
"The girls played relax and confident, we played tight in Game One that's why we lost," said NU coach Edjet Mabbayad, the youngest coach at 26 years old in the league's current group batch of mentors, in Filipino.
The decider is set on Sunday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City where the crowd is expected to pack the venue.
For Dindin, she said the key is playing with heart.
"In Game One I was a little nervous to tell you all honestly so I'm glad I got to play my game and help my team for the victory," said the 6-2 19-year-old Santiago, a fourth year Hotel and Restaurant Management student.
The Lady Bulldogs were in total control in the opening set but needed to fend off a late charge by the Lady Eagles to preserve the first set win in a match that was attended by a league record 8,806 paying patrons.
It was different in the next one as the Jhoscson-based belles played flat at the start as they trailed the Loyola-based lady spikers, 13-19, with the match appearing to head into a one-set tie.
That was when NU started to flaunt its attacking game and nearly impenetrable net defense anchored on the Santiago sisters, Dindin and Jaja, Pablo and Carmina Aganon to rally their way back and even snatching the second set.
Then NU tightened its net defense even further with the 6-4 Jaja Santiago anbd Aiko Urdas wrecking most of the damage in defense while Pablo delivering the crucial blows on offense with timely kills.
The crisp-spiking Aganon dealth the final blow with a spike that went down the line, sealing the win for NU and sending its fans into frantic celebration.
Earlier, Santo Tomas bucked a first set defeat to smash Adamson, 24-26, 25-17, 25-20, 25-17, to likewise for a rubbermatch on Sunday for third place.