UAAP: National U makes a statement sweep of La Salle to start title-retention campaign | ABS-CBN

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UAAP: National U makes a statement sweep of La Salle to start title-retention campaign

UAAP: National U makes a statement sweep of La Salle to start title-retention campaign

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Feb 16, 2025 08:18 PM PHT

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The defending UAAP women’s volleyball champions National University in their Season 87 debut. Photo from UAAP Media.The defending UAAP women’s volleyball champions National University in their Season 87 debut. Photo from UAAP Media.

MANILA (UPDATED) — National University chalked up a statement victory over De La Salle University to start their UAAP women’s volleyball title-retention campaign.

The reigning champions swept the Lady Spikers, 25-23, 25-21, 25-18, in their Season 87 faceoff on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, and this gave new NU head coach Sherwin Meneses a triumphant return to the UAAP.

"Syempre happy ako na nanalo kami, 5 sets or 3 sets pareho lang yan," said the Creamline Cool Smashers mentor, who previously led Adamson University. "Syempre, yung 3 sets medyo mahirap gawin sa La Salle. Happy kami na nakuha namin sa straight sets."

Leading National U was Bella Belen, with the Season 86 MVP putting up 14 points and six receptions, and she said that there was a conscious effort from the defending champs to open the season with a victory. 

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"Trinabaho po talaga ng team," said the outgoing star. "Parang sa training pa lang, sinabi na namin na dapat first game maganda agad yung pasok namin as a team. Kailangan yung pagtatyaga namin, andon kasi yung La Salle, champion team po sila. Palaban yung La Salle, so dapat mas palaban po kami."

It was all the Lady Bulldogs right from the first serve, and they even went on to dominate DLSU by as much as 10, 21-11, later in the third set to impose their might and eventually seal the sweep.

La Salle even only committed 18 errors to National U’s 22, but the NU’s attack points were just too much for their Taft Avenue-based counterparts as they outscored DLSU in that department, 47-32.

Despite this impressive victory, however, the first-year NU coach maintained that they are yet to discover their potential as a unit. 

"'Di lang kami nagsasawa na magsabi na meron pang ibang dapat gawin para maging mapadali yung mga games," he pointed out. 

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"Tulong-tulong lang kami ng mga coaches na ma-improve every training lang talaga. Yung sistema lagi namang nandyan yan eh. Syempre time lang din talaga makakapagsabi kung talagang nagiging maganda o hindi, pero ayun nga, nagre-respond naman yung mga players so happy kami. Talagang yung sistema kahit papaano is naa-apply," he added.

On the other hand, Shevana Laput was the lone bright spot from La Salle as she put up 18 points which all came from attacks.

Angel Canino followed Laput with seven points and 13 receptions, while Amie Provido had five markers and two digs. 

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