GAMES TODAY
(SM Mall of Asia Arena)
1 p.m. – NU vs FEU (M)
5 p.m. – DLSU vs NU (W)
ALTHOUGH wary of a fightback, National University is favored to prevail anew tonight over La Salle in Game 2 of their finals battle for the UAAP women’s volleyball crown at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The Lady Bulldogs will go into the match at 5 p.m. bent on closing out the series, their confidence boosted by a 25-17, 25-21, 13-25, 25-17 victory last Sunday in Game 1.
For a fancied team that hoisted two championships in the past three seasons, NU is out to post its first back-to-back UAAP title win while claiming its fifth overall gold chip.
Outgoing skipper Bella Belen, who will be named season MVP today, and the graduating seniors of the Lady Bulldogs are fueled by their desire to leave a lasting legacy for NU.
Belen said the Lady Bulldogs should not be complacent and remain focused on fulfilling their goal this season.
“Hindi naman namin masyadong iniisip na talagang nanalo kami sa Game 1 kasi hindi pa naman tapos. Kailangan pa namin maipanalo iyong Game 2 para makuha namin iyong championship. Siguro kailangan namin pag-aralan pa iyong game namin kasi parang meron pa kaming puwedeng ma-improve pagdating sa Game 2,” Belen said.
“Hindi ko naman nakikita sa teammates ko na mao-overconfident kami pagdating ng Game 2 kasi parang hindi kami nakakampante sa ginagawa namin. Siguro ngayon masaya kami kasi syempre nanalo ng Game 1 pero balik na ulit kami sa training.”
Belen and fellow seniors Alyssa Solomon, Erin Pangilinan, Sheena Toring, and Camilla Lamina are anticipated to go all out one last time for the Lady Bulldogs. The Sampaloc-based crew will also rely on Vange Alinsug, Alexa Mata, Arah Panique, Shaira Jardio.
“Kailangang pagpaguran kasi wala namang champion ngayon, defending champions so dapat mai-defend talaga namin ‘yung crown,” said NU tactician Sherwin Meneses, who is out to capture his first UAAP championship.
“Iyong assignment talaga is ma-defend so talagang hindi kami magsasawang mga coaches na magremind sa kanila, magbigay ng instructions, motivation.”
De La Salle is out to flip the script and extend the series, with Angel Canino, Amie Provido, and Shevana Laput leading the green-and-white squad.
If La Salle wins, the deciding Game 3 will be played on Saturday at the same venue.
The talismanic Belen, 22, will be the third belle in league history to bag the MVP plum three times after Ateneo great Alyssa Valdez (Seasons 76 to 78) and Far Eastern University legend Monica Aleta (Seasons 63 to 65).
Belen amassed 96.266 statistical points (SPs), good enough to nip her closest rival in Rookie of the Year winner Shaina Nitura of Adamson University.
