NU Woman Bulldogs in UAAP Season 85 girls’s volleyball. –UAAP PHOTO
A brand new season. A brand new begin. A brand new set of challenges. NU Woman Bulldogs? Nonetheless the identical.
Nationwide College (NU) opened the UAAP Season 85 volleyball match the best way the Woman Bulldogs ended the final, with a win that underscored simply how ready the defending champions are to make yet one more dominating run.
NU swung the wrecking ball on the Ateneo Blue Eagles, leading to a 25-15, 25-20, 25-16 demolition on Saturday at Mall of Asia Area.
“It is a new season and it’s a contemporary begin. We did effectively in different tournaments, however right here within the UAAP, it’s totally different. Now we have to organize laborious in opposition to each group that we play,” mentioned NU coach Karl Dimaculangan.
Totally different? Maybe solely in the truth that the Woman Bulldogs look much more rounded this yr after simply stretching their unbeaten run to 19 video games courting again to the 2020 season.
The outdated reliables lit it up for the reigning queens. Alyssa Solomon was ruthless in main a balanced assault with 12 factors that included two kill blocks. Princess Robles added seven assaults en path to 11 factors whereas Mhicaela Belen, who gained the Most Priceless Participant (MVP) and Rookie of the Yr trophies final season, completed with eight factors.
First-time starter
“We have been in a position to execute what we now have been doing in observe. However it’s going to be a protracted match and we now have to maintain on enhancing,” mentioned Solomon, the Shakey’s SuperLeague MVP the place NU additionally had an ideal title run three months again.
Solomon, Belen, Robles and Sheena Toring joined palms with first-time starter Erin Pangilinan within the opening set as NU extricated itself from a good back-and-forth contest. Defending a precarious one-point benefit, the Woman Bulldogs immediately charged forward with a 10-1 offensive that tore Ateneo aside.
“I’m glad however on the identical time, I gained’t be complacent. I’m prepared to take one other enchancment,” Pangilinan mentioned. “I nonetheless have to enhance my reference to my setter, which could be very vital, and my serve.”
Pangilinan is taking on the position of Ivy Lacsina, who turned professional after NU’s title triumph final season.
“I used to be a bit nervous to begin the sport as a result of I nonetheless don’t know the way I might carry out with the group,” she mentioned. “However in fact, they have already got expectations of me. With the assistance of our expertise in Shakey’s and our coaching, I used to be in a position to gel with them and I didn’t have a tough time.”
The Woman Bulldogs have been hardly threatened over the subsequent two units.
“We performed effectively and but I really feel that there are nonetheless extra issues and areas the place we must always enhance,” mentioned Belen.
Adamson made brief work of College of the East, 25-19, 25-9, 25-5, through the curtain-raiser.
Lucille Almonte was on the forefront of the Woman Falcons’ cruel onslaught, delivering 12 factors on 10 assaults on prime of two blocks and eight digs.
“Our sport plan was anchored on stopping their two aggressive gamers and it’s a superb factor we have been in a position to alter shortly,” mentioned Almonte in Filipino.
Adamson thrived beneath this contemporary system beneath coach Jerry Yee, one which shall be examined to the hilt with an early matchup in opposition to the Woman Bulldogs on Wednesday.
“Count on this yr that we are going to be extra aggressive and hungry to get these victories,” mentioned Almonte.
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