Nazareth School of National University kicked off its back-to-back championship bid in style with a straight-set quick work of University of the Philippines Integrated School, 25-11, 25-11, 25-14, at the opening day of UAAP Season 85 High School Girls’ Volleyball tournament, Monday at the Paco Arena in Manila.
A brand-new Lady Bullpups roster was paraded – an entirely different crew from the ones that completed a 16-0 sweep in the league’s most recent competition in 2019. Leading the squad are Bienne Bansil, Celine Marsh, and setter Abegail Pono.
Still, NSNU made a good impression on opening day.
“Actually, we’re excited eh. Me and the entire team are excited for the UAAP,” shared new Lady Bullpups head coach Villet Ponce-De Leon. “Kasi yung mga bata ito yung pinag-eensayuhan nila especially kami sa NU, this is our main tournament. We played last year in various tournaments pero hinihintay pa rin namin ‘tong tournament na ‘to kasi parang ito yung pinaka-icing on the cake.”
De Leon, though, admitted that her wards are still a work in progress.
“Actually it’s not at par sa expectation namin. Siguro sa jitters na lang din, at siguro sa excitement nila. Naninigas and andaming factors na pwede naming ituro, but still, ang bottom line, we’re not at par sa expected namin. But, thankful pa rin kami, dahil nanalo kami,” she added.
Joining the Lady Bullpups in taking an opening day win is perennial contender University of Santo Tomas, who took care of De La Salle-Zobel School, 25-13, 25-7, 25-21, in the last girls’ match of the day.
Jann Chua scattered seven aces in her 15 rallies on serve to put the Junior Tigresses in a dominant showing in that second set.
Earlier, UAAP Season 82 runner-up Adamson University averted a slow start to subdue Far Eastern University in three frames, 27-25, 25-20, 25-17.
