By: Justine Anne Gaerlan
NATIONAL University–Nazareth School successfully defended its UAAP High School Girls’ Volleyball crown, sweeping Far Eastern University–Diliman in Game 2 of the Season 88 Finals, 25-19, 25-17, 25-15, Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym in Loyola Heights, Quezon City.
The triumph marked the Lady Bullpups’ eighth girls’ volleyball title in 10 seasons.
“Sobrang nagpapasalamat ako sa opportunity na makapag-back-to-back and then sa mga players na naniwala na kaya namin mag-back-to-back,” said Lady Bullpups head coach Karl Dimaculangan.
“Hindi siya naging madali sa amin, sobrang daming nangyari sa team. Injuries kasama na, tournaments, mga conflicts. But at the end of the day, nakuha pa rin namin ‘yung goal namin,” the now-three time UAAP champion coach added.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
NUNS asserted control early in the opening set, pulling ahead 14-9.
The Lady Baby Tamaraws responded, cutting the deficit to one after Bernadine Boston and Alexa Amana combined for a block, aided by an attack error from Diza Berayo.
The Lady Bullpups quickly regained control, launching a five-point burst highlighted by Berayo’s service ace that brought them to set point, before Adeleine Agustin finished the frame with a decisive block, 25-19.
The second set was a back-and-forth battle, with neither team able to open a lead larger than two points.
Momentum shifted in NUNS’ favor after back-to-back aces from Berayo sparked a 5-1 run, stretching the lead to 17-12.
The Lady Bullpups maintained pressure until Agustin’s block delivered set point, and Jhaynna Bulandres closed the frame with an attack for a 25-17 win.
Carrying that momentum into the third set, NUNS raced to a 12-6 advantage.
FEU-D managed to close within three, but the Lady Bullpups responded with four consecutive points, powered by successive attacks from Berayo, a kill from Bella Cruz, and another block from Agustin.
The Lady Baby Tamaraws were unable to mount a late comeback as the Lady Bullpups claimed the final four points.
A net touch by FEU-D gave NUNS championship point, before Agustin and Bulandres combined for the match-clinching block.
“‘Yung season talaga namin, hindi siya talaga madali. Pero with the help of our coaches and teammates, nagawa namin nang maayos, nagtulong-tulong kami ng team namin, [naging] composed kami,” said Finals MVP Rain Navarro.
“Syempre ‘yung mindset namin palagi sa training na kailangan namin makuha ‘to kasi anim na lang kami na seniors, so kailangan talaga namin sulitin ‘yung season na ‘to. And syempre masaya kasi nakuha namin ‘yung championship kahit medyo mabigat-bigat ‘to kasi bagong kalaban namin ‘yung FEU-D sa Finals pero thankful pa rin kami kasi nakuha namin ‘yung goal namin ngayon,” added the 18-year-old playmaker from Bacolod City.
In the title-clinching game, Berayo led NUNS with 14 points, including 10 attacks and four aces, while Akeyla Bartolabac and Agustin contributed nine points each.
Navarro delivered 10 precise sets to orchestrate the offense.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The Lady Bullpups dominated the elimination round, finishing with a 13-1 record, their only loss coming at the hands of the Lady Baby Falcons.
NUNS also took Game 1 after a five-set thriller, 26-24, 21-25, 25-18, 23-25, 18-16.
For FEU-D, Aleah Devosora and Cathlyn Umal scored six points each, while MJ Udeagbala, the season’s best opposite, managed just three points after entering in the third set.
