National University’s bid for a flawless run in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament hit another bump, as the Lady Bulldogs faltered once again against a lower-ranked opponent.
After a stunning loss to the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, NU faced yet another setback — this time to the Shaina Nitura-led Adamson University Lady Falcons.
The defeat left the Lady Bulldogs to reflect on their missed opportunities and what it will take to regain their dominant form.
Eight games into the season, the Lady Bulldogs appeared to be an unstoppable force, but UP finally cracked their code. The Fighting Maroons pulled off a stunning five-set thriller to hand NU its first defeat of Season 87 last March 26 at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Looking to learn from the heartbreak, the Lady Bulldogs bounced back with a four-set victory over the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws last Sunday. However, 11 days after their loss to the Fighting Maroons, NU faced a similar setback.
Without standout hitter Alyssa Solomon due to a minor left ankle injury, the Lady Bulldogs crumbled to Adamson in four sets.
The loss dropped their record to a precarious 9-2, leaving them with only a one-game cushion over second-ranked De La Salle University (8-3) and third-running FEU and University of Santo Tomas (7-4).
As NU fell victim to another lower-ranked team — especially during their pursuit of one of the two available twice-to-beat incentives for the Final Four — team captain Bella Belen sounded the alarm.
“Medyo alarming siya for us. Katulad nung nangyari sa UP, nagkaroon kami ng team meeting kagabi. Sabi ko na yung teams na makakalaban natin ngayon, nothing to lose na sila. Sila, gusto lang nila gawin yung best nila at gusto nila maka-upset nung mga nasa taas, kaya kailangan ready kami sa ganon. Kaso nangyari na naman,” Belen told reporters after pacing the Lady Bulldogs with 19 points on 17 attacks, 21 excellent receptions, and nine digs in the losing effort.
“Medyo sad sa dugout kasi sa isip namin, kaya naman namin ipanalo. Sadyang hindi namin nagawa. Talagang may umiyak kanina kasi yung frustration ng isang player, hindi naman mawawala ‘yon, lalo na pag alam mo sa sarili mo na meron ka pang kaya gawin sana kaso hindi lang nagawa.”
Similar to their loss to UP, Belen lamented how NU failed to execute the game plan that Lady Bulldogs head coach Sherwin Meneses and his staff had prepared for the crucial match-up in their pursuit of a playoff bonus.
Failing to follow the game plan ultimately led to the 32-point explosion by Nitura, allowing her to become the first-ever player in UAAP women’s volleyball history to tally 30 or more points four times in a single season.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Doon sa performance ng team, I think hindi namin nagawa yung dapat namin gawin. Like kung ano yung napag-usapan namin before. Sabi kasi ni coach Sherwin sa amin kanina sa huddle after the game, sabi niya na hindi naman porket may isa na hindi na naglaro, hindi na namin kaya manalo,” the two-time UAAP MVP and Season 87 MVP frontrunner shared.
“Siguro kinulang talaga at kinapos kami. Hindi namin na-stop si Shaina. Sobrang ganda ng performance niya today 32 points siya, hindi namin siya na-stop today. Talagang hindi namin siya nagawan ng paraan. Ang bagal namin magadjust sa ginagawa ng Adamson.”
With two losses — both to struggling teams like Adamson and UP — Belen urged everyone on NU’s 14-man roster to rediscover their hunger for victory and their team identity.
This urgency is not only a result of these losses, but also because the Lady Bulldogs will next face the winless University of the East Lady Warriors on Wednesday, April 9, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
“Kailangan mas gutom kami manalo [at] mas gustuhin namin manalo. Kanina sa game namin, yung Adamson, kahit kami sa loob ng court or kahit siguro yung mga nasa audience, kitang-kita na gusto talaga nila manalo compared sa amin,” Belen admitted.
She then urged, “Ganon naman palagi yung laro, na kung sino gusto manalo, ‘yon yung nananalo. Kailangan sa next few games namin ganon dahil kailangan namin habulin yung twice-to-beat para hindi kami mahirapan. Kung ayaw namin mahirapan, kailangan namin magtrabaho [at] magsipag.”
For Belen, the team needs to reset its mindset going into their next games.
“Dapat huwag namin intayin na ibigay sa amin yung game. Dapat kami, kailangan namin gustuhin at kailangan namin kunin kasi parang opportunity din siya sa amin na hindi porket galing kami sa talo, hindi na kami capable manalo,” she declared.
“Kailangan namin trabahuin yung game namin against UE kasi hindi siya magiging madali talaga. Kasi yung UE, palaban din sila kahit sabihin natin na winless — marami sila pinahirapan na teams.”
#WATCH: “Kailangan namin masolusyonan agad”
Bella Belen sounds alarm after another upset loss, this time to Adamson 🏐
📹 @justinvalencia_ /Tiebreaker Times#UAAPSeason87 pic.twitter.com/grMcqnnfDE
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) April 6, 2025
