NU Lady Bulldogs’ Vange Alinsug during a UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball game against UST Golden Tigresses. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

For all the upsets and surprising results that marked the UAAP Season 87 women’s tournament, the Final Four will be a throwback to last season’s battles.

The National University Lady Bulldogs are set to face No. 4 seed Far Eastern University, the same team that nullified their twice-to-beat edge and dragged them through the wringer last season.

Fortunately for NU, it heads into the weekend clash a bit more hardened, thanks to Sunday’s hard-earned win over University of Santo Tomas.

“[We know] that we’re competitive as individuals. It’s from that we draw the belief we can win our games,” said Alyssa Solomon, who backstopped reigning MVP and skipper Bella Belen in the gritty stand against the Tigresses.

It took five grueling sets, but the Lady Bulldogs pulled through, generating a triumph that could prove pivotal in their path to a successful title defense.

Still, Belen and Solomon know better than to expect that the road ahead would be smooth.

“We know that it’s not going to be easy,” Belen said.

Over at the other semifinal pairing, UST and La Salle collide. The Golden Tigresses and Lady Spikers are locked in a virtual best-of-three that begins with the battle for the No. 2 seed on Wednesday, with the winner earning the coveted cushion in their showdown.

Much like NU and FEU, these two teams’ rivalry is also steeped in drama. Last season, UST denied La Salle a playoff bonus before knocking them out in the semifinals—adding to the feeling of déjà vu in the semifinals. INQ