National University overcame a slow start, fending off Ateneo de Manila University, 18-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-18 to notch their ninth win in the UAAP Season 84 Women’s Volleyball Tournament, Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
With the victory, the Lady Bulldogs moved on the verge of the Final Four.
“Siguro wake up call din sa amin ‘to na kailangan mag laro kami nang maayos, kailangan pag hirapan namin every point, siguro every set kasi hindi kami puwedeng maging complacent sa situation ngayon,” said NU head coach Karl Dimaculangan as this is only the third time that his side dropped a set this season.
“Ateneo, Ateneo pa rin yun. Kahit anong standing nila Ateneo pa rin yun so kailangan mag trabaho kami nang maayos palagi, yung mindset namin kailangan naming i-focus. More on mental sa amin,” he added.
Mhicaela Belen spearheaded the Lady Bulldogs with a triple-double of 19 points, 21 excellent receptions, and 10 excellent digs while team captain Princess Robles and Alyssa Solomon added 16 and 14 points, respectively.
Belen, Robles, and Solomon had a combined total of 46 attack points, eclipsing the Blue Eagles’ total output of 41.
Camilla Lamina put up a game-high 22 excellent sets laced with four points while Jennifer Nierva logged 18 excellent digs and 12 excellent receptions.
The Lady Bulldogs built an eight-point, 17-9 cushion over the Blue Eagles capped off by an emphatic kill coming from Robles. Vanie Gandler kept Ateneo in the game, scoring three points in a 7-3 run to slice NU’s lead to four. That, however, was not enough as Belen and Solomon delivered the lethal blows.
Gandler dropped her career-high 19 points along with seven excellent digs while Faith Nisperos, who only converted nine out of 47 attack attempts, was held to just 11 points in the loss that dropped Ateneo to a 4-5 standing – still at the fifth spot.
Jaja Maraguinot had 16 excellent sets while Roma Doromal added 17 excellent receptions and 12 excellent digs.
NU will take on the winless University of the East on Tuesday at 6:30 PM while Ateneo will face University of Santo Tomas at 10:00 AM.
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