National University avoided a huge upset by turning back Ateneo de Manila University in a thriller, 25-17, 24-26, 26-28, 25-19, 15-7, in the UAAP Season 86 Women’s Volleyball Tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday evening.
In the set that mattered most, the Lady Bulldogs rediscovered their form with Bella Belen and Vange Alinsug taking turns of delivering the blows to complete their escape of the Blue Eagles in two hours and 23 minutes.
“I think this is unpopular for everyone. Sa tingin ko ngayon pa lang nagsstart magrecover yung team coming from University Games and after that tuloy tuloy kami sa training, we had series of practice games against the top club teams,” said returning NU head coach Norman Miguel.
“Para sa akin I think medyo kulang pa sa recovery yung team namin that’s why we performed like this.”
Ateneo threatened to take the match after securing the second and third frames on clutch performances.
With the Lady Bulldogs at set point in the second, 24-23, AC Miner and Lyann De Guzman scored three straight points to equalize, 26-24, while in the third, it was Yvana Sulit and Sophia Buena who drilled the necessary hits to take the 2-1 set advantage, 28-26.
But NU retaliated in the fourth frame with middle blockers Erin Pangilinan and Chams Maaya teaming up to turn a close 15-14 lead to a 25-19 win to force a decider.
The Lady Bulldogs, who fell to University of Santo Tomas in straight sets on opening weekend, rose to a 1-1 slate.
“Isa po sa pinaghuhugutan namin or ako is yung pagkatalo namin nung last game namin against UST. Mahirap po yung pinagdaanan namin ngayon pero I’m really happy kasi halos lahat ng nasa lineup nagamit and nakita namin kung ano yung potential ng mga bago namin,” said Season 84 MVP Belen, who finished with 21 points, 24 digs, and 10 excellent receptions.
Alinsug complemented Belen with 19 points of her own while Maaya dropped 15 points on nine spikes, five blocks, and a service ace.
Alyssa Solomon, who did not play in the fifth, still had 12 points while libero Shaina Jardio got 21 digs and 17 receptions.
Buena, a sophomore spiker, carried the fight for the Blue Eagles with 16 points while Miner and Geezel Tsunashima added 14 and 12 points, respectively.
De Guzman ended up with 11 points, 22 digs, and five excellent receptions in the loss that dropped them to 0-2.
NU will shoot for win no. 2 on Wednesday when it clashes with Adamson University at the SMART Araneta Coliseum at 2 pm. After that, Ateneo will look to end its misery when it faces University of the Philippines in the 4 p.m. match.
