Bella Belen emphasized patience and trust in her teammates as the Capital1 Solar Spikers showed a balanced effort in their win over the Farm Fresh Foxies in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Bella Belen's faith and trust in the Capital1 Solar Spikers to find their footing in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference was finally rewarded.
The Solar Spikers' five-set victory over the Farm Fresh Foxies was defined by the collective lift around her.
Belen poured in 23 points to lead Capital1. But backing her this time around were Sydney Niegos, who unloaded a career-high 20 points, and Shaya Adorador who added 14 markers.
Coming off a loss where she was the lone double-digit scorer, the No. 1 overall pick was quick to highlight the total team response in getting back to the win column.
"After po kasi nung game namin against Creamline, talagang nakita ko bawat isa nag-extra effort sa training," Belen said during the post-game press conference.
"Binigay 'yung effort para makapag-perform ng maayos, and I'm very happy kasi lumabas po siya sa game na lahat nag-contribute."
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That trust, she stressed, did not come overnight, especially for a group that is still very much a work in progress.
"Lagi ko namang sinasabi na may tiwala ako sa teammates," Belen said. "Kailangan lang talaga magkaroon kami ng pasensya."
Capital1 entered the season with major changes, with roughly half of the roster made up of new faces.
For Belen, that reality has demanded patience and perspective, especially with plenty of eyes on the team.
"For me, malaki talaga improvement namin," she said. "Halos two months pa lang kami nagte-training nang buo since half of our team is bago. So, I'm proud sa pinapakita ng team namin."
[ALSO READ: Bella Belen finds Capital1 scoring gap 'concerning' as 'volleyball is team effort']
While the Solar Spikers' growth has not been linear, Belen believes the upward trend is unmistakable, even in defeat.
"Game-by-game kami," she said. "Kung natatalo kami, nakikita ko pa rin 'yung improvement. Hindi man ganun kalaki, pero nakikita ko 'yung improvement."
Capital will look to carry its momentum into its next matchup against the Akari Chargers on March 7 at the FilOil Centre in San Juan.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.