NU Girl Bulldogs’ Bella Belen after a sport towards Shaina Nitura and the Adamson Girl Falcons within the UAAP Season 87 girls’s volleyball match. –UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Again-to-back losses to lower-ranked groups have set off alarm bells for Bella Belen and the Nationwide College Girl Bulldogs within the UAAP Season 87 girls’s volleyball match.
Taking part in with out star reverse Alyssa Solomon, who was sidelined because of a minor ankle sprain, NU fell to Shaina Nitura and Adamson, 23-25, 25-15, 26-28, 22-25, on Sunday at Good Araneta Coliseum.
This got here on the heels of the Girl Bulldogs’ first loss final week by the hands of the UP Preventing Maroons.
“It’s a bit alarming for us,” mentioned Belen. “Similar to what occurred towards UP—we truly had a crew assembly final night time, and I instructed them, the groups we’re going through now don’t have anything to lose. They simply wish to play their greatest and pull off upsets towards the highest groups, so now we have to be prepared for that.”
SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 volleyball match second spherical
“It occurred once more immediately, so we’ll have to regulate and repair no matter went unsuitable on this sport. We have to discover options shortly as a result of, like now, now we have a sport on Wednesday, then Sunday, after which our final sport towards UST.”
Belen’s all-around sport of 19 factors, 21 glorious receptions, and 9 digs however NU Girl Bulldogs nonetheless dropped to a 9-2 document, which nonetheless was sufficient to formally safe their Last 4 berth.
“It was a bit unhappy within the dugout as a result of we actually felt like we might’ve received that sport,” she added. “We simply weren’t capable of get it achieved. Among the ladies cried earlier—simply out of frustration. And that’s regular for any participant, particularly when you realize deep down that you can’ve achieved extra, however it simply didn’t occur.”
With the twice-to-beat benefit nonetheless inside attain, Belen urged her crew to play with a way of urgency as they return to the drafting board earlier than going through the winless College of the East on Wednesday at Philsports Area.
Adamson rookie Shaina Nitura and the Girl Falcons have a good time throughout a victory over the NU Girl Bulldogs in UAAP Season 87 girls’s volleyball.–UAAP PHOTO
“We should be hungrier to win—now we have to need it extra,” mentioned Belen. “In our sport earlier, you can actually see that Adamson needed it greater than we did. That’s the way it all the time goes—whoever desires it extra finally ends up successful.”
“We are able to’t look forward to the sport to be handed to us. We’ve got to need it and take it. It’s a possibility for us to show that simply because we got here off a loss doesn’t imply we’re not able to successful. We have to actually work for that sport towards UE as a result of it received’t be straightforward. Even when they’re nonetheless winless, they’re a combating crew—they’ve given a number of groups a tough time.”
READ: UAAP: Bella Belen says NU loss may very well be ‘blessing in disguise’
Regardless of the loss, Belen was pleased to see different gamers stepping up, particularly Arah Panique, who had 10 factors in filling in for Solomon’s place.
“It’s an awesome expertise for the youthful ones, particularly since us veterans can be leaving after this season,” mentioned Belen. “It was a great alternative for Arah immediately—she’s actually a fighter. She performed properly, however I consider she’s able to much more.”
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“We all the time remind the youthful gamers that it’s okay to make errors, so long as they bounce again. We’re right here as their older sisters to information and help them each step of the way in which.”