The reigning MVP went scoreless.
Everyone was expecting the NU Lady Bulldogs to get a roaring bounce back after their stunning first loss of UAAP Season 85 to the UST Golden Tigresses. But the defending champions didn't quite show up in the first set against the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons on Wednesday.
The Diliman-based squad lived up to their moniker and took the first set from the Lady Bulldogs, 25-18.
Reigning Most Valuable Player Mhicaela Belen went scoreless in that first frame and was benched for the rest of the match. So was Season 84 Best Libero Jen Nierva, who was replaced by Shaira Jardio.
Coach Karl Dimaculangan told the media after the match that he had no qualms switching players.
"Kung may nagpe-perform sa team namin na mas kailangan namin, mas maayos kung mag-perform, 'yun 'yung gagamitin namin," he said.
"Alam naman ng bawat player na kailangan nila mag-perform. Ready rin bawat teammates nila," the coach added.
The rest of the Lady Bulldogs stepped up and won the next three sets, 25-17, 25-11, 25-11. Four players were in double digits, led by Sheena Toring who had 14. She was simply unstoppable at the service line, delivering six of NU's 16 aces.
"Alam nila 'yun eh. Kung kulang sila o pangit performance nila... For sure sina Bella and ate Jen, babawi sila," Toring said.
"Kung walang laro yung isa, meron namang naka-prepare na ibang players," Dimaculangan noted.
Belen previously told One Sports after their loss to UST that their hunger was not the same after the Season 84 sweep, and that they would surely be challenged this year.
But Dimaculangan doesn't want his players to take it easy.
"'Di kami pwedeng magpabaya, lalo na patapos na rin 'tong first round," the coach added.
The first round showed the Lady Bulldogs were in fact, fallible. The Adamson Lady Falcons pushed them to five sets. The Golden Tigresses pushed further and handed them their first loss since 2019. Even the Fighting Maroons were able to take a set.
There will be no sweep for NU. Other squads are smelling blood. And there's still a second round.
NU will next face the seventh-seeded University of the East on Sunday at the PhilSports Arena.