National University did what it could not two years ago: win back-to-back titles at the expense of De La Salle University.
The Lady Bulldogs completed a finals series sweep against the Lady Spikers after winning Game 2 convincingly, 25-19, 25-18, 25-19 to rule the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Back in Season 85, NU, then the defending champion, was looking to capture its second consecutive championship, but fell to La Salle in the finals. The feat also marked the first time NU won two titles in a row.
Bella Belen, one of the graduating Lady Bulldogs, made sure to give her best in her last collegiate game after dropping 18 points built on 17 attacks and one block, while also grabbing 11 digs and eight receptions to steer NU to the top.
“Siyempre I’m very happy kasi na-achieve namin goal namin as a team. Marami kaming pinagdaanan, nagkaroon kami ng mga talo, maraming times din na parang kinuwestiyon namin sarili namin and as a team kung tama ba ginagawa namin, kung nasa right path ba kami. Pero nagtiwala lang kami sa sarili namin, sa teammates at coaches namin. Trinabaho lang namin hanggang sa Finals para makuha ang back-to-back,” Belen said about the title.
Another senior in opposite hitter Alyssa Solomon also had her moments, finishing with 13 markers laced with five digs.
Vange Alinsug, primed to lead NU in the coming years, tallied 10 point, including the last two clutch points, to go with a block and six digs to be named a co-MVP. In Game 1, she had 21 points all from attacks.
Shaira Jardio was the co-MVP as she had 18 excellent digs and 28 excellent receptions in Game 1 and 21 excellent digs and 12 excellent receptions in Game 2.
Bent on finishing off the series today, the wards of head coach Sherwin Meneses took command in the first two sets with the veterans helping the squad dominate the Lady Spikers in what turned out to be a one-sided affair.
La Salle, though, made a better start in the third set with senior Alleiah Malaluan unleashing an ace for a 5-4 lead as the Lady Spikers looked like they were threatening a comeback.
But NU responded with a 5-0 rampage to flip it to a 9-5 cushion, before La Salle trimmed the deficit to two after back-to-back errors from the defending champions, 10-12. A rookie then rose to occasion for NU with first-year middle blocker Alexa Mata rejecting Malaluan and Angel Canino to send the Lady Bulldogs to a massive 18-13 cushion.
La Salle made another desperate comeback attempt with a 3-0 run capped by a Laput ace, 18-23.
Alinsug then proved the future is bright for NU, unloading back-to-back kills from the left side to deliver NU’s fifth overall women’s volleyball title.
The loss saw Canino leading La Salle anew with 12 points together with nine digs and 15 receptions while Lapua was limited to 10 markers anchored on seven attacks, two blocks, and one ace.
Coronation
Earlier, the individual awardees of the men’s and women’s volleyball tournaments were also recognized, with Kennedy Batas of the Ateneo de Manila University and Belen of the Lady Bulldogs taking home the MVP plums.
READ | List of individual awardees
—JKC, GMA Integrated News