NU beats UST, ends rivals' unbeaten streak

National University upset previously undefeated University of Santo Tomas with a 23-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-20 victory in a thrilling match that ended UST's unbeaten start in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament on Sunday.

Former MVP Bella Belen led NU with a triple-double performance of 24 points and was named Player of the Week by the Collegiate Press Corps for her outstanding performances, including her contributions against UST.

UST coach KungFu Reyes reminded his team not to lose their character and resiliency following their first loss after eight straight wins.

National University's victory saw NU outperforming UST with 13 aces and 10 blocks compared to UST's 2 aces and 4 blocks, securing their win after two hours of play.

With Belen at the helm, NU climbed to 7-2 to maintain a striking distance from leaders UST (8-1) and La Salle (7-1) for the coveted Top 2 and twice-to-beat Final Four incentives in the women's division.