NU Woman Bulldogs’ Bella Belen.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web

Earlier than the beginning of the UAAP Season 86 ladies’s volleyball event, Nationwide College (NU) underlined redemption as its theme after getting its coronary heart damaged by La Salle of their Finals sequence final yr.

However in making an attempt to select up the items of their shattered goals, the Woman Bulldogs could have tried too arduous to achieve their aim.

“Typically in our need to get again and uphold that phrase, redemption, we neglect to get pleasure from and present our actual sport,” NU star Bella Belen advised the Inquirer in Filipino after a dominant 25-14, 25-14, 25-12 triumph in opposition to hapless College of the East (UE) on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Enviornment.

“I really feel like we’re nonetheless on our approach to redemption, however extra on how we will rise as a staff and lift our efficiency. That’s the place we’re proper now,” Belen stated as NU improved to an 8-2 standing. “As a result of we all know that we nonetheless have loads to enhance each sport to get our aim this season.”

And the Woman Bulldogs are nearing that aim with simply 4 video games left of their preliminary schedule. After hurdling previous College of the Philippines to start a three-game successful run within the second spherical, NU delivered a scientific efficiency to precise revenge on College of Santo Tomas (UST) earlier than simply dealing with UE.

Season 85 tormentor La Salle, which dealt NU its second loss this season, continues to be among the many squads left for the Woman Bulldogs to face, however this time Belen believes that they’ll proceed their momentum and rush to the Ultimate 4 spherical full pace forward.

“I believe that the staff is prepared and I’m assured that the staff is succesful,” stated Belen whereas including that there’s nonetheless extra left within the Woman Bulldogs’ tank by way of getting higher.

“We’re close to our peak type, however not fairly there but as a result of I do know that my teammates may give and do extra like what we confirmed throughout our tuneups earlier than the season,” she added.

Motivated

No staff has slowed NU down within the second spherical and there may be pleasure among the many Woman Bulldogs together with discussions of how they are often stronger when the Ultimate 4 spherical comes.

“Like in our sport in opposition to UST, our motivation is to get even with them, right our errors that we did in our La Salle sport and [figure out] why we misplaced,” she stated.

However not like earlier than once they had been single-minded on redemption, the Woman Bulldogs know that they can’t be careless dashing forward.

“We at all times say to concentrate on one sport at a time,” stated Belen who remained in step with 13 factors on eight assaults, 4 blocks and an ace in addition to 10 glorious digs and the identical variety of receptions.

“Like what ate [Alyssa Solomon] stated earlier, the extra we rush issues, the extra that we can not obtain our aim so we have to take our time and be at all times aware of our motion so we’re conscious of the place we’re and what’s the stage of our sport now,” she added.

Solomon had 14 factors to steer NU, which had a discipline day attacking UE’s protection. The Woman Warriors failed to attain a single level off blocks.

Defensively, the Woman Bulldogs additionally bared their enamel, holding UE tremendous rookie Casiey Dongallo to a career-low six factors after getting into the match averaging over 23 factors per sport.