Though they may have encountered more challenges than the year before, both the men’s and women’s NU volleyball teams continued stamped their class on the rest of the competition in UAAP Season 87, defending their respective titles earlier this year.
Over on the women’s side, the star-studded duo of Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon cemented their status as UAAP legends, having won their third title in the last four UAAP seasons before moving on to the professional ranks in the PVL and in Japan, respectively.
The Lady Bulldogs met familiar faces in the Finals, going up against Angel Canino and the DLSU Lady Spikers in a best-of-three series — it marked the third time that they faced each other in the championship round since UAAP Season 84.
And although it was NU’s fourth straight Finals trip, there really wasn’t anything certain for NU against a highly competitive field.
Chink in the armor
The Lady Bulldogs remained as the number one seed in the tournament, playing the Final Four with a twice-to-beat-advantage.
But their two losses in the elimination round was more than enough to show their vulnerability.
NU fell not once but twice against lower-ranked teams — UP and Adamson — which showed tremendous grit even though they both missed the Final Four.
Playing a shaky second round where they suffered their two losses, NU had to clean up their act in time for the Final Four, especially with the equally determined FEU Lady Tamaraws standing in their way.
Of note that the Lady Tams had forced NU’s hand in Season 86, dragging them into a winner-take-all Game 2 for a Finals berth.
While the Lady Bulldogs were able to clinch their Finals spot in one game this time around, NU did have to survive a grueling five setter.
Belen starred in the one-game Final Four battle with her patented triple-double, finishing with 24 points, 14 excellent digs and 10 excellent receptions.
They then flexed their dominance in the Finals with a two-game sweep of La Salle, which gave them an undefeated record against Canino and company in Season 87 — winning all four of their matchups for the season.
Even as Belen and Solomon continued to be the steady presence for NU in their quest for the crown, the future also shone bright with next-in-line seniors Vange Alinsug and Shaira Jardio making history as co-Finals MVPs for the Jhocson squad.
Uphill climb to the top
Over on the men’s side, the journey of the NU Bulldogs was not much different — with the five-peat seeking champions heading into the semifinals as the second seed.
Despite their historic success in the men’s division, the departure of veteran playmaker Owa Retamar left the Bulldogs searching for answers in their campaign. They fell twice against the steady experience of the FEU Tamaraws in the elimination round.
Still, thanks to the tried and tested program of decorated head coach Dante Alinsunurin, the Bulldogs were able to get to the Finals and go up against their elimination round tormentors, FEU.
After 14 games, the Tamaraws were the only team to blemish their record, touting a 12-2 slate as the second seed.
In the Final Four, they also needed to survive a gritty UST squad which forced them into a rubber match in their Final Four campaign.
But the Bulldogs eked out a dominant 3-0 sweep in Game 2, led by the high octane scoring of Leo Ordiales with 20 points in the finals-clinching win, to keep their bid for a historic five-peat bid alive. However, they had not gained the upper hand against FEU all season long.
And things got worse before they started to recover.
In Game 1 of the Finals, the FEU Tamaraws had all the confidence in the world, grinding out a tough five-set win in a match that got fans at the edge of their seats at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Dryx Saavedra and rookie Amet Bituin shone for coach Eddieson Orcullo in the Finals opener, finishing with a combined 41 points to push the four-time defending champions to the brink of disaster.
But Buds Buddin swooped in to save the day for NU in Game 2, bucking injury to finish with 20 points and 11 excellent receptions in the second chapter of their three-game series to force FEU’s hand into the winner-take-all decider.
Then in Game 3, it was all about the mental game as the Bulldogs pulled the rug from under the Tams en route to a three-set sweep, 25-16, 28-26, 25-23, to etch their names into the UAAP history books.
Graduating captain Leo Aringo was named Finals MVP.
Dogs rule the pack
Regardless of how hard it was to get there, NU did continue to prove that they’re the teams to beat.
While the rest of the field has proven its mettle in flashes of brilliance, the steady program of NU volleyball continues to do the trick.
As UAAP Season 88 volleyball inches closer, there is no question that the NU teams will have targets on their backs.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.