Bella Belen shares a light moment with libero Shaira Jardio after NU scored a point against FEU during their UAAP women’s volleyball Final Four duel. UAAP photo
Belen ready for the big time
BELLA Belen is ready to relish the moment of facing her close buddy libero Det Pepito in the league’s biggest stage as National University and University of Santo Tomas clash for the crown as the UAAP women’s volleyball Finals begins tomorrow.
Belen and Pepito’s friendship has gone way back from elementary days while representing the National Capital Region and are very close with each other even they are in rival schools.
“Happy ako kasi si Detdet makakalaban ko na siya sa Finals. Dati teammate ko lang siya nung elementary and noong high school magkalaban din kami,” said the Season 84 MVP.
The Bulldogs are hoping to reclaim the throne they won in 2022, while the Tigresses are eyeing to end a 14-year championship drought.
Game 1 of the best-of-three title series is set at 4 p.m. tomorrow at the fabled Big Dome, right after the two school’s men’s squads slug it out in the Finals opener at 2 p.m.
It will be the first time in the Final Four era that there will be same pairings in the women’s and men’s championship.
NU needed two games to advance to the title round for the third consecutive season. The Lady Bulldogs won the rubber match Wednesday night to avenge their shock loss to the Lady Tamaraws last Saturday.
UST secured its first Finals appearance after dethroning La Salle in their thrilling Final Four duel Sunday night. It was the second time since 2019 that the Tigresses eliminated the Lady Spikers as the No. 2 team in the Final Four.
Belen is looking forward of meeting their familiar foes in the championship series.
“Siyempre nakaka-excite kasi karamihan ng mga players ng UST ay kaibigan or kakilala din namin,” said Belen.
Led by super Angge Poyos, the Tigresses made this far by showing no fear in their game despite any disadvantages stacked against them.
“Yung UST palaban sila. Talagang yung hunger nila sa paglalaro, talagang makikita mo pag naglalaro sila. Pero siguro hindi namin ba-beybihin yung laro. Kumbaga, ibibigay namin yung 100 percent effort namin para manalo and para mapahirapan sila,” said Belen.
“Kasi hindi nila ibibigay ang laro ng madalian and kailangan talagang mag-trabaho,” the do-it-all open spiker added.
After overcoming the Lady Spikers’ tremendous height advantage in the Final Four, the Tigresses will now have to figure out on the Lady Bulldogs’ championship experience.
