National University (NU) is entering the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 women’s volleyball Final Four on a strong note, but team captain Bella Belen knows that they cannot afford to let their guard down.

The defending champions wrapped up the elimination round undefeated against all semifinal contenders, underscoring their firepower, discipline and consistency that make them heavily favored to retain the title.

NU’s latest conquest came against University of Santo Tomas (UST), 23-25, 25-17, 25-18, 20-25, 15-9, which not only locked it as the No. 1 seed but also exposed areas that need fine-tuning as the competition heads into its most crucial stage.

For Belen, the match served as an important reality check.

“UST played really well. Their defense was outstanding, and they’re tough to face because they have a complete lineup — a good setter, powerful spikers, and a reliable libero,” Belen said.

NU will once again hold a twice-to-beat advantage against Far Eastern University.

“I’m really thankful we experienced that kind of challenge in our last game of the eliminations. We learned a lot and picked up lessons that we can bring into the semifinals.”

While NU enjoys the luxury of a week-long break before plunging back to action, UST’s path is a bit more complicated.

The Golden Tigresses will battle De La Salle University in a playoff for the No. 2 seed on Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Once the dust settles and the Final Four pairings are finalized, the playoffs will officially kick off on Saturday featuring familiar matchups from Season 86.

NU will once again hold a twice-to-beat advantage against Far Eastern University (FEU), while UST and La Salle are set for another semifinal showdown, marking their third consecutive postseason clash.

Despite the Lady Bulldogs’ previous dominance over FEU, Belen remains cautious, knowing the stakes and intensity will be much higher.

“We won’t dwell too much on the past games,” the 22-year-old outside hitter said.