NU needs to work harder – Bella Belen

(UPDATE) SWEEPING the UAAP Season 87 women's volleyball first round should only make the defending champs NU Lady Bulldogs work harder — no complacency, no letting their guards down.

Reigning MVP and team captain Bella Belen said that this is what the Lady Bulldogs should live by if they are to continue their tear this season.

Belen and company stayed undefeated at 7-0 after turning back the UST Golden Tigresses, 23-25, 25-17, 19-25, 25-18, 15-9, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.

"As for the second round, I think all the teams will adjust," said Belen, who pumped 19 points, 17 digs, and 15 receptions in the match that drew 12,790 fans at The Big Dome.

"We'll become more familiar with each other. So, we really need to step up. We have to do better than what we showed in the first round, and I'm confident we can do that with the help of our coaches and teammates."

If there's a team capable of sweeping the entire season, it's this core of Lady Bulldogs composed of Belen and Alyssa Solomon who powered the team to a Season 84, 16-0 sweep back in 2022.

Belen even won the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards that season.

A season later, Vange Alinsug joined the Bulldogs to complete the team's "Big 3" but they faltered against La Salle in the finals before regaining the crown at UST's expense last year.

NU head coach Sherwin Meneses echoed Belen's sentiments, saying that the Lady Bulldogs still have a lot of room for improvement.

"Of course, there's still a lot to improve. Every training, we really focus on getting better, especially with our blocking," said Meneses.