The UST Golden Tigresses fell short in pivotal stretches as the NU Lady Bulldogs zoomed to the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball championship with a 23-25, 25-23, 25-27, 16-25 win in Game 2 at the Mall of Asia Arena, May 15.

The Tigresses were in the thick of things throughout the game, but the Lady Bulldogs pounced on UST's late-set crumbles to snag the game.

The last time the Tigresses finished as runners-up was in 2019, when the Ateneo Blue Eagles outlasted UST in the finals.

The team has not won the women's volleyball title in 14 years.

Xyza Gula shone the brightest for UST with 18 points on 16 attacks, while Jonna Perdido tallied 14 markers in the loss.

Regina Jurado and Em Banagua also provided 13 points apiece, but the Tigresses failed to find the championship gear in crucial stretches.

Meanwhile, rookie-of-the-year Angeline Poyos defied uncertainties about her injury and started the game for UST, contributing one point in the entire game.

Poyos' return earned buzz from the crowd, helping UST gain momentum early in the opening set. However, NU's 9-5 run midway through broke them past the Tigresses to take the first canto, 25-23.

The Tigresses then seized control through a balanced offensive attack from their hitters, fending off the Lady Bulldogs' rally in the set's latter portio for a knotted set score, 23-25.

After leading by as much as four points to open the third set, the Tigresses squandered their cushion down the stretch as season MVP Bella Belen scored the final five attacks for NU, snagging the pivotal third set, 25-27

The Lady Bulldogs seized the game from thereon, opening up a sizeable lead early in the fourth set and never looking back to seal the championship, 16-25.

Finals MVP Alyssa Solomon put up 27 points on 20 attacks to lift the Lady Bulldog in the title-clincher. Belen added 19 markers, while Vange Alinsug contributed 13.

Sheena Toring connected on the championship point, punctuating a 10-point tally.

This was NU's second championship in three years.