The storied rivalry between National University (NU) and De La Salle University is set to reach fever pitch as the two perennial powerhouses clash once again for the championship of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament.

Set to unfold on the league’s grandest stage, this marks the third time in the last four seasons that the Lady Bulldogs and Lady Spikers will dispute the coveted crown.

La Salle punched its ticket to the finals after dispatching University of Santo Tomas (UST) in four sets during their Final Four showdown on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“We’re somewhat happy with the result,” the Lady Spikers head coach Ramil de Jesus said after their semifinal win.

“We had a slow start and took a while to adjust, which is why I had to rotate the setter early. Fortunately, it worked. I’m expecting us to move even better in the next game (against NU) — we still have a lot to fix.”

The championship narrative between NU and La Salle has been nothing short of dramatic.

Back in Season 84, the Lady Bulldogs stunned the league with a dream campaign led by then-rookie-Most Valuable Player (MVP) Bella Belen, who spearheaded a historic 14-0 sweep en route to a title win over the Lady Spikers.

But La Salle quickly returned the favor the following season, mounting a near-perfect run to reclaim the crown behind its own freshman phenom, Angel Canino — the league’s second rookie-MVP.

In Season 86, the Lady Spikers’ championship hopes were abruptly crushed in the Final Four by a resurgent UST squad, which played spoiler and ended La Salle’s title defense in heartbreak.

NU, in turn, capitalized on the opening and went on to defeat the Golden Tigresses in the finals to reclaim the crown.

Now, the Lady Spikers are playing with a chip on their shoulder — not just chasing another title, but also seeking revenge for the unfinished business left behind.