Lady Bulldogs topple Lady Maroons, end two-game skid
Reigning titlist National University regained its old form as it outhustled a determined University of the Philippines (UP), 25-21, 27-25, 25-20, in UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Saturday, April 1.
Bella Belen flexed her might anew with 19 points built on 18 attacks as the Lady Bulldogs snapped their two-game skid and improved to a 6-3 win-loss record. The win tied UP at third to fourth spots with University of Santo Tomas. Cess Robless also sparkled for NU, coming off the bench in the opening set and finishing with 11 points, while Alyssa Solomon chipped in nine points including two blocks. The Lady Bulldogs had to dig deep in the second frame where they leaned on a costly service error from UP’s Mai Sotomil before Erin Pangilinan unleashed a kill to seal the set victory. The set triumph fueled NU’s assault in the third frame by seizing an early 8-3 advantage and protecting its lead against the persistent attacks of the Lady Maroons. Alyssa Bertolano scored 12 points including 10 kills for UP, which absorbed its sixth straight defeat to plummet at 1-8 and put them on the brink of elimination. Nica Celis and Nina Ytang also finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Lady Maroons to no avail. In men’s play, the NU Bulldogs bucked a third-set stumble to turn back the UP Maroons, 25-14, 25-18, 23-25, 25-21. Nico Almendras finished with a game-high 19 points for the defending champion Bulldogs, who remained unscathed in the season after nine games while extending their winning streak to 27 games dating back to Season 81. The Maroons, for their part, plunged to a 0-9 hole to put their campaign in peril despite the combined 35-point output of Louis Gamban, Ranz Cajolo and Angelo Lipata.
*Bella Belen leads the NU Lady Bulldogs win 19 points against the UP Lady Maroons. (UAAP Images)
*Bella Belen flexed her might anew with 19 points built on 18 attacks as the Lady Bulldogs snapped their two-game skid and improved to a 6-3 win-loss record. The win tied UP at third to fourth spots with University of Santo Tomas. Cess Robless also sparkled for NU, coming off the bench in the opening set and finishing with 11 points, while Alyssa Solomon chipped in nine points including two blocks. The Lady Bulldogs had to dig deep in the second frame where they leaned on a costly service error from UP’s Mai Sotomil before Erin Pangilinan unleashed a kill to seal the set victory. The set triumph fueled NU’s assault in the third frame by seizing an early 8-3 advantage and protecting its lead against the persistent attacks of the Lady Maroons. Alyssa Bertolano scored 12 points including 10 kills for UP, which absorbed its sixth straight defeat to plummet at 1-8 and put them on the brink of elimination. Nica Celis and Nina Ytang also finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Lady Maroons to no avail. In men’s play, the NU Bulldogs bucked a third-set stumble to turn back the UP Maroons, 25-14, 25-18, 23-25, 25-21. Nico Almendras finished with a game-high 19 points for the defending champion Bulldogs, who remained unscathed in the season after nine games while extending their winning streak to 27 games dating back to Season 81. The Maroons, for their part, plunged to a 0-9 hole to put their campaign in peril despite the combined 35-point output of Louis Gamban, Ranz Cajolo and Angelo Lipata.