NU Lady Bulldogs’ Bella Belen after a game against Shaina Nitura and the Adamson Lady Falcons in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament. –UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Back-to-back losses to lower-ranked teams have set off alarm bells for Bella Belen and the National University Lady Bulldogs in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament.
Playing without star opposite Alyssa Solomon, who was sidelined due to a minor ankle sprain, NU fell to Shaina Nitura and Adamson, 23-25, 25-15, 26-28, 22-25, on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
This came on the heels of the Lady Bulldogs’ first loss last week at the hands of the UP Fighting Maroons.
“It’s a bit alarming for us,” said Belen. “Just like what happened against UP—we actually had a team meeting last night, and I told them, the teams we’re facing now have nothing to lose. They just want to play their best and pull off upsets against the top teams, so we have to be ready for that.”
SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 volleyball tournament second round
“It happened again today, so we’ll have to adjust and fix whatever went wrong in this game. We need to find solutions quickly because, like now, we have a game on Wednesday, then Sunday, and then our last game against UST.”
Belen’s all-around game of 19 points, 21 excellent receptions, and nine digs but NU Lady Bulldogs still dropped to a 9-2 record, which still was enough to officially secure their Final Four berth.
“It was a bit sad in the dugout because we really felt like we could’ve won that game,” she added. “We just weren’t able to get it done. Some of the girls cried earlier—just out of frustration. And that’s normal for any player, especially when you know deep down that you could’ve done more, but it just didn’t happen.”
With the twice-to-beat advantage still within reach, Belen urged her team to play with a sense of urgency as they go back to the drawing board before facing the winless University of the East on Wednesday at Philsports Arena.
Adamson rookie Shaina Nitura and the Lady Falcons celebrate during a victory over the NU Lady Bulldogs in UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball.–UAAP PHOTO
“We need to be hungrier to win—we have to want it more,” said Belen. “In our game earlier, you could really see that Adamson wanted it more than we did. That’s how it always goes—whoever wants it more ends up winning.”
“We can’t wait for the game to be handed to us. We have to want it and take it. It’s an opportunity for us to prove that just because we came off a loss doesn’t mean we’re not capable of winning. We need to really work for that game against UE because it won’t be easy. Even if they’re still winless, they’re a fighting team—they’ve given a lot of teams a hard time.”
READ: UAAP: Bella Belen says NU loss could be ‘blessing in disguise’
Despite the loss, Belen was happy to see other players stepping up, especially Arah Panique, who had 10 points in filling in for Solomon’s position.
“It’s a great experience for the younger ones, especially since us veterans will be leaving after this season,” said Belen. “It was a good opportunity for Arah today—she’s really a fighter. She played well, but I believe she’s capable of even more.”
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“We always remind the younger players that it’s okay to make mistakes, as long as they bounce back. We’re here as their older sisters to guide and support them every step of the way.”
