Belen: We’re really improving

BELLA Belen and the NU Lady Bulldogs simply don’t want to end another game having another “what if” or “what could have been” moment in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament.

Suffering from such a predicament following their loss to the defending champs De La Salle Lady Spikers on March 16 is already enough for the Lady Bulldogs.

That is why Belen and company made it a point to go out swinging against the UST Golden Tigresses at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, March 24.

“We set it as our goal that we don’t want to suffer again what we did after our La Salle game. We don’t want to have ‘what ifs’ again, we don’t want to have regrets anew,” said Belen.

“Our mindset in this game is that we should not have ‘what ifs,’ we need to give our best and that’s why we were emotional after the game because we saw that we really did give our best.”

Safe to say, that mindset worked well for the Lady Bulldogs as they handed the Golden Tigresses their first defeat of the season and took their second straight win in the process, 23-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-20.

Belen unleashed 24 points, 13 excellent digs, and 10 receptions to lead NU avenged its first round defeat to UST to rise to 7-2, third best in the league.

Belen, the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in Season 84, said that the Lady Bulldogs having their goals clearer in their mind now than they did in their first round encounter against UST also helped.

“We have our goals clearer now than we did in the first round because it’s very clear that we were not moving as one in that game. Now, our goal is clearer and we’ve been really open to whatever coach is asking us to do.”

Belen said that the Lady Bulldogs are also more driven to win this second round.

“[The biggest change we have as a team from the first round] for me is the drive to win. The drive to win and make an improvement in every game. Now I’ve been seeing that we’re really improving every game.”