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John Bryan Ulanday - The Philippine Star
May 12, 2025 | 12:00am
Bella Belen and her National U teammates celebrate a point in their four-set victory over La Salle in Game 1 of the best-of-three UAAP women’s volleyball finals yesterday.
MANILA, Philippines — A new volleyball dynasty is on the horizon.
Reigning champion National U walloped modern day rival La Salle, 25-17, 25-21, 13-25, 25-17, to move on the cusp of yet another title in an emerging queendom in the UAAP women’s volleyball.
Not even a third-set hiccup could stop the Lady Bulldogs from asserting their dominance on the Lady Spikers, taking the crucial 1-0 lead in their best-of-three title showdown last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
One game away from a title repeat and a third crown in the last four seasons, the Lady Bulldogs go for it in Game 2 Wednesday over at the MOA Arena in Pasay City.
Vange Alinsug, the unheralded part of NU’s triumvirate, rose to the occasion with 21 points – all on hits – to spearhead the onslaught as reigning MVP Bella Belen fired 19 points on 17 attacks and two service aces.
Belen, a cinch for a third MVP plum to tie the most in UAAP history, added 15 digs for another all-around brilliance for NU, which hardly needed an eruption from last season’s Finals MVP Alyssa Solomon with only nine points.
Lams Lamina dished out 22 sets with libero Shaira Mae Jardio leading NU’s floor defense with 28 digs and 28 receptions.
“Masaya ang experience sa first finals dito sa UAAP pero hindi pa tapos ang laban,” said coach Sherwin Meneses, a PVL veteran mentor with Creamline but on his debut year with the Lady Bulldogs against no less than the legendary Ramil de Jesus of La Salle.
“Happy kami na nakuha namin ‘yung Game 1 kasi ito talaga ‘yung pinaka-importante. ‘Yung six days na training namin for Game 1, nagbunga. Ngayon, may two days kami para makuha ulit ‘yung Game 2,” added Alinsug.
Earlier, Far Eastern U snapped four-peat champion National U’s long streak in UAAP men’s finals, handing the Bulldogs a first loss in almost a decade with a thrilling 22-25, 25-22, 13-25, 25-22, 15-13 victory also to move a step away from ultimate glory.
The top-ranked Tamaraws clawed back from two-sets-to-one down and outfought the Bulldogs in a back-and-forth duel in the decider for the crucial 1-0 lead in the Season 87 best-of-three finale.
The Morayta-based squad takes its first shot at wrapping up the series on Wednesday. If ever, the Tamaraws would bag a first crown since their Season 74 title run.
