NU Lady Bulldogs’ Bella Belen during a UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball game against FEU Lady Tamaraws. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Bella Belen brought out her brilliance in service, unleashing seven aces to power National University past Far Eastern University in a five-set thriller within the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament.
Belen got here inside an ace away from tying her league record and finished with 21 points including 13 spikes and a block to backstop Alyssa Solomon’s 23-point explosion in NU’s come-from-behind 25-15, 23-25, 24-26, 25-23, 15-8 win over FEU on Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.
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The 2-time UAAP MVP set the record in her rookie yr in Season 84 two years ago, equalizing former Ateneo star Dzi Gervacio — now the FEU volleyball program head.
LIVE: UAAP Season 87 volleyball February 23 – UP vs Ateneo, NU vs FEU
“I feel it starts with our training. We at all times remind ourselves that regardless of who serves, the goal is simply to get the ball in nonetheless we are able to,” said Belen.
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“We’re not aiming to attain directly from our serves since the more we push for points, the more errors we make. That’s what we noticed in our team today. As for me, especially in close games, so long as I can get the ball in, I do know it’s going to make things harder for the opposite team. I’ll do whatever helps make our job easier,” she added.
Belen was subbed out late fourth set as coach Sherwin Meneses wanted to present her a breather and get a unique perspective from the sport.
She returned and helped Solomon win the fourth and force a decider, where she scored her seventh ace to maintain FEU at bay.
READ: UAAP: Bella Belen eyes last title shot with NU Lady Bulldogs
“So Bella could see what FEU was doing. Actually, we were a bit lucky because when she got here back in, our run began. We only took her out for a really short rest. We were just lucky that the timing of that substitution worked out,” said Meneses.
The graduating outside spiker knew that the Lady Tamaraws were tough opponents as the identical core forced them to a do-or-die Final 4 game last yr before winning the Season 86 crown.
“FEU is de facto a troublesome competitor. Identical to us, their team remains to be intact—a lot of the players from last season are still there. Everyone has the identical goal: to be champions,” Belen said.
“Every team desires to fight, and that’s exactly what FEU showed today—they gave it their all. We did the identical. We just applied every little thing we studied over the past few days, sticking to our game strategy.”
Belen and the Lady Bulldogs gun for his or her fourth win against the winless University of the East Lady Warriors on Saturday next week at the identical venue.
