National University overcame a shaky start, trouncing Far Eastern University, 24-26, 25-17, 25-19, 25-10, to move a win away from sweeping the UAAP Season 84 women's volleyball elimination round, Tuesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Lady Bulldogs will go for 14-0 and an outright Finals berth on Thursday against third seed University of Santo Tomas at 4 pm.
Down 23-24, FEU's Chenie Tagaod delivered a powerful hit for the tie before NU's Alyssa Solomon and Mhicaela Belen committed two attack errors to give the Lady Tamaraws the first set, 26-24.
"'Yun yung consequence pag hindi kami naglaro nang maayos, hindi kami nag effort," said Lady Bulldogs head coach Karl DImaculangan on their sluggish start.
"'Yung mga ganong game 'yun 'yung nireremind ko sa kanila na hindi kami pwede maging complacent kahit sinong kalaban, good thing na lang din nakarecover kami."
Knotted at 14 in the second salvo, NU uncorked an 11-3 surge to equalize, 25-17, before nabbing the third canto, 25-19.
And in the fourth set, it was all NU as it wreaked havoc en route to a 25-10 victory for the 13-0 win-loss card.
"What I observed was talagang tight lahat and hindi ganon yung energy namin. What I did was ako ang nagsimula ng energy like ako yung nag-enjoy, takbo inside the court and nakita ko sumabay din sila sa energy na yun," said NU libero Jen Nierva.
Belen topscored for the Lady Bulldogs with 18 points, while Sheena Toring had 12 points of her own.
Solomon chipped in 10 points while Nierva tallied 18 digs and 12 excellent receptions.
FEU was led by Jovelyn Fernandez with 16 points while Tagaod had 11 points, 11 digs, and eight excellent receptions.
The Lady Tamaraws slipped to 1-12 ahead of their matchup against winless University of the East on Thursday as well, 10 am. (Dennis Lachica, Sportsmanila Photojournalist)