UAAP: NU escapes Ateneo to nail twice-to-beat in women’s volleyball
Bella Belen leads NU Lady Bulldogs to twice-to-beat edge in UAAP women’s volleyball. –UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–National University wriggled free from the verge of collapse to outlast Ateneo, 21-25, 28-30, 25-14, 25-13, 15-13, on Saturday and gain the all-important twice-to-beat protection in the Final Four of the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball.
Bella Belen led the resurgence with 25 attacks out of her 26 points while Alyssa Solomon had 25 points built on 22 kills as the Lady Bulldogs concluded the elimination phase with six victories in a row and an 11-3 record to cement the No. 2 seeding in the semifinals.
Article continues after this advertisement“We’re happy that we got the twice-to-beat (advantage) despite the fact that we still have some things to improve on after what happened in the game,’’ said Belen, who also registered 15 digs and 19 receptions.
Sheena Toring added 13 points and four blocks and Princess Robles contributed 11 points and an ace while Camilla Lamina had 17 excellent sets for the Lady Bulldogs, who got caught on the ropes early after the first two sets.
“A match doesn’t end after two sets. We just have to be confident in what we do and always exert full effort on every point,’’ said Lamina.
Article continues after this advertisementThe Blue Eagles didn’t want to end their season without making a statement, snaring the opening set with steady blocking and receiving that stunned the Lady Bulldogs.
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Faith Nisperos deflected Evangeline Alinsug’s push and an NU error in the ensuing play allowed the Blue Eagles to break free from a 17 deadlock and sustained their gains from there.
AC Miner missed sealing it with a spike that went beyond the sidelines, but Alinsug made it easier for Ateneo with a service error on the other end.
Stealing the first set wasn’t pure luck as the Blue Eagles repeated the act in the next set despite letting the Lady Bulldogs climb back from an alarming deficit.
Robles knotted the count at 28 with a high-powered strike, but an attack error by Belen and Joan Narit’s block on Solomon sent NU reeling at two sets down.
Pushed near the edge, the defending champions managed to regroup in the third set as Belen and Solomon joined hands with Sheena Toring and Robles in ruthlessly shelling the Ateneo floor to regain their pride.
The Lady Bulldogs likewise controlled the fourth set of the protracted battle, eroding the confidence of the Blue Eagles.
NU Lady Bulldogs’ Alyssa Solomon. –UAAP PHOTO
Back-to-back crosscourt attacks by Solomon, which she followed up with a block on Nisperos widened the NU lead, 20-12, in the fourth set.
Another Solomon push and Belen’s smash through a block sent them off at set point before Vanessa Gandler’s attacking error forged the deciding set.
Solomon and Belen kept on pounding in the succeeding frame as the Lady Bulldogs took command at the early stretches of the final set.
The block of Nisperos on Solomon tied it at 12 before Belen had a couple of spikes punctuated by a down-the-line kill that closed it out for NU.
Gandler scored 16 attacks from her 20 points and 16 receptions while Nisperos posted 17 points, eight digs and three blocks as the Blue Eagles sealed their campaign with a 4-10 record.
