UAAP: Bella Belen praises NU crowd inside ‘QPav-like’ Araneta
Fans of NU Lady Bulldogs during Game 1 of the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball Finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Bella Belen was thrilled to hear National University’s faithful matching the energy of the University of Santo Tomas’ fans, who turned the Smart Araneta Coliseum like the Quadricentennial Pavilion with their cheers, in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball finals on Saturday.
Belen and the Lady Bulldogs drew strength from the NU fans among the 20,955 gate attendance at the Big Dome after moving to the cusp of reclaiming the UAAP title with a 25-23, 25-20, 25-20 victory over the Tigresses, who missed the services of star Angge Poyos late in the second set due to an ankle injury.
“We’re very happy because our fans were able to match that UST crowd that made Araneta look like the QPav. It looked like the QPav, right?” said Belen, who delivered 13 points and eight digs, referring to UST’s home floor.
UAAP SCHEDULE: Season 86 volleyball Finals UST vs NU
“But when we saw how they cheered for us, that helped us a lot. It boosted our energy thinking there are people who believe in his and support us,” she added.
NU Lady Bulldogs’ Bella Belen in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament Finals Game 1 against UST Tigresses. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Belen, the first UAAP women’s volleyball rookie MVP in Season 84, hopes the Lady Bulldogs supporters will dominate Game 2 when they try to claim their second title in three years at Mall of Asia on Saturday.
“I hope in Game 2 we see them again. I hope this time, MOA Arena looks like the NU Gym,” she said.
Despite winning Game 2, Belen urges her teammates to go back to the drawing board and address their lapses from the series opener.
“For Game 2, we can’t relax. We need to think how capable UST is. That team is a finder,” she said.
“We need to have a mindset that we’ll finish it in Game 2 like it’s a do-or-die game. We shouldn’t let it reach a do or die game. We shouldn’t look for a challenge.”
