NU Lady Bulldogs temper expectations after win vs La Salle

NU Lady Bulldogs temper expectations after win vs La Salle

NATIONAL University knows a thing or two about building a championship team in a tight  UAAP women’s volleyball field, having done so via 16-game sweep of Season 84 where Bella Belen emerged as the league’s first-ever rookie-MVP.

Since that historic title romp, the Lady Bulldogs lost five in a row to its modern-day rival La Salle — two of which came at the tailend of Season 85 as the dynastic Lady Spikers reclaimed the throne from NU through back-to-back five-set wins in the title series.

READ: NU cuts La Salle down to size for fifth straight UAAP win

It might have taken over a season and a full calendar year but Belen & Co. finally cracked the code against the Taft side in the absence of reigning MVP and ace spiker Angel Canino, who has not seen action in the last three matches with an undisclosed arm injury.

But after such a breakthrough win, the Lady Bulldogs opted not to get too carried away and shelved their championship aspirations until they clear the elimination round first.

vange alinsug, erin pangilinan, lams lamina, nu

PHOTO: UAAP Season 86 Media Team

“Hindi pa po ako ganun masyado (kalayo mag-isip) kasi may games pa po. Lagi lang naman kaming one game at a time. Hindi namin iniisip ‘yung future. Kung ano ‘yung ngayon, ‘yun ‘yung iniisip namin. Siguro yung championship, darating sa amin ‘yan ‘pag pag-tatrabahuan namin kasi naniniwala po ako na lahat ng pagod, lahat may kapalit,” said Belen.

“Ito pong game na ‘to (versus La Salle), malaki siyang confidence-booster sa’min knowing na champion team ‘yung La Salle. Ang kailangan na lang namin is consistency since may last two games pa kami sa elimination. I believe ‘yung trend naman ng team na ‘to ay paangat. So, I think we’re peaking at the right time at ‘yung ang gusto po talaga naming mangyari ngayong season,” she added.

Better than revenge

For the Lady Bulldogs, it’s one thing that they were able to gain a measure of revenge over their year-long tormentors. Bigger than that, however, was how they’ve proven to themselves in such a big game that playing their hearts out with consistency can go a very long way en route to the ultimate prize.

“Ginusto naming mangyari ‘to ngayon. Simula pa kagabi na ‘yung mga pinag-uusapan namin (before facing La Salle), isinapuso talaga namin at kitang-kita ko po sa lahat na lahat kami gustung-gusto manalo. Para naman sa kanilang (teammates) lahat ‘tong game namin,” said NU sophomore ace Vange Alinsug, who led the game in scoring versus La Salle with 22 big points.

“We’re very happy nga po kasi ‘di pa kami nanalo sa kanila simula last season. So ‘yung mindset talaga namin is matalo sila ngayon at manalo kami ngayon na kailangang gawin namin yung best namin kasi hindi siya magiging madali, kasi champion team ‘yung La Salle,” said Belen.

“Gusto rin nilang manalo pero dapat mas gusto naming manalo.”