ANTIPOLO — Bella Belen continues to push beyond her limits, delivering a career-best 35-point performance to power Capital1 to a hard-earned five-set victory over Akari in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference Siklab series on Thursday.
The Solar Spikers teetered on the brink of a second straight defeat before Belen came to the rescue, leading Capital1 past the Chargers in a gripping five-set thriller, 28-26, 22-25, 25-15, 23-25, 21-19, at the Ynares Center here.
Belen finished with 34 attacks and one block while adding 20 excellent digs and 19 excellent receptions. She put on a remarkable all-around performance that underscored her impact on both ends of the court.
Her career-best outing stemmed from a mindset that constantly pushes her to improve, regardless of how well she performs. After all, she knows there is always room to get better every time she steps onto the court.
(C) PVL Images
“Siguro, sa mindset ko na rin as a player, kasi every time maglalaro ako with my team, lagi kong iniisip kung paano ko mai-improve ’yung game ko. So, ganoon naman palagi,” said the top overall pick of the 2025 PVL Draft, who scored 15 points in Capital1’s five-set loss to Choco Mucho on opening day.
“I mean, ngayon, sabihin na natin, maganda ’yung naging performance ko. I believe meron pa ring instances sa game na dapat kong ginawa pero ’di ko nagawa. Lagi ko lang tinitingnan kung meron pa akong kayang i-improve. And siyempre, ’di ko naman ’to magagawa without the help of my teammates. Siyempre, ’yung tiwala na binibigay ng coaches and teammates ko,” she added.
Capital1 head coach Jorge Souza de Brito had nothing but praise for Belen, who played through a right wrist injury with her right hand heavily taped to deliver her best performance in the professional ranks.
Beyond her offensive brilliance, De Brito felt particularly pleased with how Belen stepped up as a leader. She has given the Solar Spikers the composure and direction they needed in the crucial moments of the hard-fought five-set battle.
(C) PVL Images
“It’s amazing. It’s something that we respect, but we also expect the team to support her. She didn’t do it all alone, but what she did was amazing. She’s still recovering and getting her grip back, but what’s important is that she played four sets without taking a break. She also played most of the final sets in the last match,” De Brito said.
“But I want to say this: congratulations to her. It’s not just about the score or the points, but also her behavior on the court, leading the team and helping everyone trust not only her but also the system and each other. I know she can do even better, and we’re going to pray and work toward that and bring everyone together,” he added.
With a revamped roster around her, Belen feels determined to help the Solar Spikers translate their improved lineup into better results. She hopes to finally lead Capital1 past its previous struggles and establish the team as a legitimate contender in the league.
“Ang lagi ko namang pinanghuhugutan is kung ano ‘yung nakamit namin last conference. Last conference, ‘di kami nakapasok sa playoffs. So parang this conference, mas maraming dumagdag na skillful players,” Belen said.
“So, I feel like we have a chance na maging mas maganda pa ‘yung performance namin compared last conference. I believe maganda naman pinapakita ng team, game-by-game, training-by-training.”
