De La Salle University overcame a tense third set to complete a stunning sweep of National University, 21-17, 21-15, 33-31, notching its second straight win in the 2025 V-League Collegiate Challenge on Tuesday, August 12, at the Paco Arena Sports and Events Center in Manila.

Cameroonian middle blocker Issa Ousseini handed the Green Spikers their first match-point opportunity with a service ace after nearly letting a 22-18 advantage slip away. His next serve, however, sailed out, sparking a tense back-and-forth rally between the two teams before De La Salle finally closed out the marathon set.

Ousseini leads the charge in closing moments

Ousseini finished with nine points from four attacks and four blocks, plus one ace and two crucial digs. Despite the pressure, his presence at the net and timely plays helped De La Salle hold off NU’s late push.

Mac Bandiola tried to keep NU alive with a clean spike, but costly errors — a service fault from Joelbert Doromal and a long hit from the outside — ended the 37-minute third set in favor of the Green Spikers.

Head coach Jose Roque praised his team’s composure, saying his goal was to simply improve on their first game performance. “No pressure kasi this is just pre-competition. Winning is just a reward; kung gagalaw tayo nang maayos, merong maipapakita,” Roque said.

Green Spikers maintain control early

The first two sets showcased De La Salle’s dominance, with Eugene Gloria and MJ Fortuna leading the early scoring with nine points apiece. NU’s erratic passing and defensive lapses allowed the Green Spikers to convert most of their 46 total kills.

Roque also utilized his bench effectively in the third set, as Rui Ventura and Yoyong Mendoza played key roles in the late rally that set up Ousseini’s finishing blow.

De La Salle (2-0) will seek a third consecutive victory against sister school De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde on Sunday at noon, while NU (1-1) faces Ateneo (1-1) on Saturday at 5 p.m.

Bandiola led NU with 14 points, all from attacks, while Jan Abanilla added seven in the loss.