Lady Bulldogs on brink of SSL four-peat

MANILA, Philippines — National U earned a gritty 15-25, 25-23, 25-17, 13-25, 15-12 win over fierce rival Santo Tomas to move on the verge of a historic four-peat in the 2025 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Preseason Unity Cup over the weekend at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The Lady Bulldogs flaunted their championship pedigree and outlasted the Lady Tigers with a 5-0 closeout to erase a 10-12 deficit in the final set for a gutsy win in Game 1 of their best-of-three finals.

Incoming UAAP rookie and former juniors MVP Sam Cantada fired 18 points on 16 hits and two aces to lead the way for NU, which will look to seal its fourth straight SSL title on top of three UAAP titles next Saturday at the same venue.

Adamson and Far Eastern U are to dispute the bronze medal in a one-game showdown next week.

Cantada, who has just returned to the NU fold from a national team stint in the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, drew solid support from veteran Cham Maaya with 14 points on eight blocks including the game-sealing swat on ace spiker Angge Poyos. Kaye Bombita and Vange Alinsug added 11 and nine markers.