The NU Lady Bulldogs draw first blood after a statement showing against the DLSU Lady Spikers in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Finals.
Disaster averted for the Lady Bulldogs.
NU is now one game away from clinching another UAAP title after humbling the resurgent DLSU Lady Spikers 25-17, 25-22, 13-25, 25-17 in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Finals on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Sophomore outside hitter Vange Alinsug led the way for the Lady Bulldogs, finishing with a career-high 21 points, including back-to-back kills that secured the series-opening win for the defending champs.
Captain Bella Belen continued to be a steady force with a 19-point, 15-dig, 10-receive triple-double, while Alyssa Solomon followed with nine. In a welcome development, second-stringers Alexa Mata and Arah Panique also made their impact felt for the Jhocson-based spikers.
“First of all, happy kami kasi nakuha namin ‘yung Game 1 at ito ‘yung pinakaimportante talaga, so magtuloy tuloy lang kami, kasi ‘yung six days namin na training, nagbunga ngayon. So mayroon kaming two days ulit para kunin ‘yung Game 2,” said Alinsug.
Sets 1 and 2 proved to be a show of force for the Lady Bulldogs, quickly cruising to a 2-0 set lead against their familiar foes. In the second frame, however, National U was forced to play catchup, but nonetheless showed veteran composure in their bid to turn the tables against the Lady Spikers.
National U would eventually break the second frame open, turning a 15-all deadlock into a 20-16 advantage, before crucial kills from Panique and Solomon allowed the defending champs to take a crucial 2-0 set lead.
DLSU, though, would prevent NU from scoring a Game 1 sweep. Up 7-8 in the third frame, Angel Canino and the Lady Spikers would come alive, going on a massive 17-8 run built on pinpoint spiking that the Lady Bulldogs would struggle to counter with their league-leading floor defense.
Seven of National U’s 18 unforced errors also came in Set 3, while DLSU had a near-flawless act with 17 kills and just two unforced errors in the 25-minute affair.
“Syempre up kami ng two sets, and nakuha nga ng La Salle ‘yung third set, so sabi ko lang na kailangan namin pagtrabahuhan every point, kasi hindi ibibigay samin basta basta ‘yung game, and kailangan namin paghirapan at pagtrabahuhan,” Belen said of NU’s Set 3 collapse.
Fortunately, the defending champs were quick to buck off any regrets by Set 4, taking command once more as they quickly shut down any signs of life from the Lady Spikers.
It was a set of back-to-back errors from DLSU late into the frame, coupled with back-to-back hits from Alinsug that allowed the Lady Bulldogs to draw first blood in the best-of-three finals.
“And I’m very happy naman kasi ‘yun ‘yung nangyari nung fourth set, na kahit natambakan kami nung fourth set. Kumbaga, naka-regroup kami kagad, and tinrabaho lang namin ‘yung set na ‘yun tas lumabas kung ano ‘yung pinagtrainingan namin.”
The Lady Bulldogs now shift their focus to Game 2, which takes place this Wednesday, May 14 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. The same can be said for the Lady Spikers, who respectfully declined from post-game interviews with assembled media by the Araneta Coliseum dugouts.
“Ako, for me, hindi naman namin iniisip na napanalunan namin ‘yung Game 1 kasi hindi pa naman po tapos. Kailangan pa naman namin maipanalo ‘yung Game 2 para makuha namin ‘yung championship, and kailangan pa namin pag-aralan pa ‘yung game namin today. Kasi mayroon pa kaming pwede ma-improve pagdating sa Game 2,” Belen said about NU’s opening act.
“And ayun, hindi ko naman nakikita sa teammates ko na naooverconfident kami pagdating ng Game 2, kasi parang hindi kami nakakampante sa ginagawa namin. Siguro ngayon, masaya kami kasi nanalo ng Game 1, pero tomorrow, balik na ulit kami sa training.”
Banner images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.