As National University prepares to defend its UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament title, the Lady Bulldogs’ championship-caliber core is readying for its swan song.
The graduating group of Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, Lams Lamina, Erin Pangilinan, and Sheena Toring — who collectively delivered five UAAP girls’ titles and two women’s division championships — will bid farewell after more than a decade of service to NU.
With this decorated core leading the Lady Bulldogs’ bid for a historic repeat, one pressing question emerges: Who will step up in NU’s post-Belen and Solomon era?
Names like Kaye Bombita, Celine Marsh, Alexa Mata, Vange Alinsug, and Arah Panique immediately come to mind. However, both Belen and Solomon believe that NU’s deep pool of players is more than capable of sustaining their legacy.
While the Lady Bulldogs’ younger players saw limited action in their dominant 25-23, 25-21, 25-18 sweep of De La Salle University, fans got a glimpse of the potential contributors for the team’s title defense — and a preview of NU’s future.
Mata led the charge for NU’s rising stars with 10 points, while Alinsug added eight. Panique chipped in two points, and Marsh tallied one in the one-hour-and-30-minute match.
Solomon, a two-time UAAP Best Opposite Spiker and Season 86 Finals MVP, expressed confidence in the team’s young core. She credited their development to the rigorous training sessions under new head coach Sherwin Meneses and the guidance of their senior teammates.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Confident ako kasi pare-parehas lang naman kami ng tine-training, so it’s up to them na kung paano sila magki-keep up sa skills, lalo na pare-parehas na pinapagawa si Coach Sherwin so dapat same-same lang kami. Once may linabas, dapat same lang sila na galaw,” Solomon told reporters.
“Importante ‘yung ganon para masanay din sila sa sarili nila and maging confident sila na kapag nakikita nila yung ates nila na maganda yung nilalaro, ma-iinspire sila.”
Belen, meanwhile, stressed the importance of embracing one’s role for NU’s young core to reach its full potential.
From the effort put into practices to the limited minutes they receive on the court, Belen emphasized that growth takes time — and that their experience, however brief, is crucial in ensuring NU’s dynasty remains intact.
“I’m very happy kahit onting time lang ang binigay sa rookies namin, talagang ginampanan nila yung role nila. Sabi ko nga sa meeting namin kagabi na hindi porket may pinalitan ka, kailangan mo nang tapatan yung galing ng pinalitan mo,” the two-time UAAP MVP shared.
Belen went on, “Kailangan mo lang gawin kung ano lang kaya mo ma-contribute sa team and nagawa nila. I’m so happy kasi natulungan nila yung team at malaking tulong yung nagawa nila, especially for their future growth pag wala na kami.
“Sobrang confident din ako talaga kasi sa training pa lang, nakikita ko yung galaw ng mga bata na gusto nilang maglaro at mag-training talaga. Siguro alam na rin nila na medyo marami kaming ga-graduate so kailangan din nila mag-step up. I’m very confident sa mga bata na sa pag-alis namin, maayos yung maiiwan namin.”
