Belen, Solomon hand NU 3rd crown and probability to increase dynasty

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If, certainly, she has performed her ultimate recreation in a National University package, Bella Belen can in finding solace within the luck she and her longtime teammates constructed from the bottom up.

The Lady Bulldogs, she believes, “are in good hands.”

They will raise on with out her driving the momentum of 3 UAAP girls’s volleyball championships claimed over 4 seasons, the remaining of which used to be claimed Wednesday night time after a 25-19, 25-18, 25-19 Game 2 victory to place away La Salle within the fight for the Season 87 crown.

READ: UAAP: Bella Belen caps storied NU run with MVP hat trick, name repeat

It used to be the second one directly name for NU—and it used to be in all probability the toughest one.

“We went through so much,” Belen, the NU captain, stated. “There were times when we questioned ourselves, if we’re doing this right, if we’re on the right track. But we believed in ourselves … and worked so hard to get to the Finals and this back-to-back.” 
Fittingly, it used to be Vange Alinsug who iced the win. The gifted outdoor hitter scored the staff’s remaining 2 issues and is in most cases touted to be the only to take in the cudgels that Belen and longtime scoring sidekick Alyssa Solomon will let cross of.

Alinsug, along side libero Shaira Jardio, have been named cofinals MVP.

“We just showed [what we can do] and I am proud of all my teammates,” stated Alinsug. “We just really wanted to win the back-to-back.”

It used to be the primary time in event historical past that two avid gamers we renamed Finals MVP.

“This was something I didn’t expect because I was just doing my job on the floor,” Jardio stated.

Belen completed with 18 issues, Solomon added 13 whilst Alinsug added 10 to cap a season the place she emerged as a vaunted 3rd choice for the offense-heavy Lady Bulldogs.

“Diligence carried us here,” Belen stated within the post-game presser, reflecting at the adventure that started long ago all the way through her highschool years along Solomon.

“I just enjoyed this journey in my last playing year,” stated Solomon.

Before handing the reins of the staff to the rest avid gamers who will attempt to construct on NU’s dynastic rule, Belen gathered another memento for the season.

‘So much pressure’

Her 96.226 statistical issues blew the remainder of the sector out of the water and gave her a 3rd MVP in 4 years. There had been best two different avid gamers earlier than her to perform this kind of feat: Far Eastern’s Ailyn Ege, who made a hat-trick from 2001 thru 2003, and Ateneo’s Alyssa Valdez, who pulled off the similar feat a decade later.

Belen beat out Adamson freshman Shaina Nitura for the highest honor of the season, the latter lacking out at the probability to check the the NU megastar’s historical feat of changing into the Rookie-MVP, which the Lady Bulldogs skipper achieved again in Season 84.w

La Salle’s Angel Canino used to be named Best Outside Hitter along side Belen. Canino’s teammate, Shevana Laput, used to be named Best Opposite Spiker.

The Best Middle Blocker awards went to 21-year-old Amie Provido of La Salle and 23-year-old Niña Ytang of the University of the Philippines.

Camilla “Lams” Lamina, 23, and a senior playmaker for NU, took house her 2nd Best Setter award whilst La Salle’s Lyka De Leon, 23, used to be named Best Libero.

The shiniest trophy, on the other hand, went to the Lady Bulldogs.

“There was so much pressure. Nothing but a championship,” stated trainer Sherwin Meneses. “We couldn’t go for first or second. It was only about being a champion again.”

And it’s going to be for seasons to come back.

Basking below the college confetti one remaining time, Belen advised the group: “I just hope you never get tired of supporting the team even when the [lineup is different].”

“Because the Lady Bulldogs won’t grow tired of winning games for you.” INQ