DEFENDING champion National University (NU) sent erstwhile unbeaten Far Eastern University (FEU) packing, 25-16, 19-25, 25-17, 25-22, in an exciting knockout duel to secure the last finals seat in the 2024 Shakey's Super League (SSL) Collegiate Pre-season Championship Saturday night at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Reigning tournament Most Valuable Player Alyssa Solomon took over in the fourth set while grizzled veterans Bella Belen and Vange Alinsug provided support on offense to draw the Lady Bulldogs closer to completing a three-peat.

NU repelled the Lady Tamaraws' fightback late in the fourth frame to set up a thrilling best-of-three championship series rematch against undefeated De La Salle University.

Game 1 of the finals, which pits the protagonists of the inaugural edition's title showdown two years ago, is on November 22.

Solomon unloaded 11 of her game-high 17 markers in the fourth set including three of the Lady Bulldogs' last four points.

"I just want to redeem myself and make up for my slow start," said Solomon, who only had six points in her first two frames of action.

Solomon had 13 kills and four kill blocks while Belen and Alinsug unloaded 15 points each.

Belen and Alinsug submitted identical offensive statistics of 13 attacks, one ace and one kill block each for NU, which put FEU's seven-game romp to a screeching halt.

Gerzel Petallo was the lone FEU player in double figures with 12 points coming off 10 spikes, one kill block and one ace while Jean Asis had eight markers. Faida Bakanke and Clarisse Loresco finished with six points each.

The Lady Tamaraws shoot to salvage a bronze medal repeat against University of Santo Tomas in the one-game battle for third of the SSL's centerpiece competition.

Meanwhile, Ateneo de Manila University overwhelmed University of the East, 25-21, 25-17, 25-22, in the first phase of the classification round.