By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs handed the banged-up Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Lady Eagles a sweeping defeat, 25-23, 25-19, 25-15, to keep their unblemished record alive in the ongoing UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball tournament on February 19, 2025, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
After a momentum-boosting opening win when they blanked their arch-rivals De La Salle University (DLSU), the Lady Bulldogs picked up where they left off and sustained their high-level play to improve to a 2-0 win-loss record.
However, it wasn’t their usual walk in the park when the resilient Lady Eagles showed grit in the first set, turning the affair into anybody’s ball game.
From an 11-16 scoring deficit, Ateneo completed the comeback when they pulled to within a point, 23-22, off their rejuvenated offensive sets.
Ateneo kicked off the match cold and couldn’t find any rhythm offensively but their doubled effort in containing NU’s cross-court attacks helped them chip away their deficit and slowly creep inside the striking distance.
Just when the young Ateneo team thought they already solved the NU puzzle, the star duo of Alyssa Solomon and Bella Belen joined hands and scored the Lady Bulldogs’ final four offensive possessions.
Ateneo had another chance to cut NU’s advantage to just a point but NU setter Camille Lamina fed the waxing hot Solomon for an exclamation outside hit kill that sealed their 1-0 lead.
After that thrilling first set, the Lady Bulldogs capitalized on their groove and didn’t allow the Lady Eagles to establish their footing in the final two sets.
Lamina was instrumental to the win as the veteran orchestrator dished out 14 excellent sets alongside eight excellent receptions and four excellent digs.
Solomon benefited from Lamina’s tremendous playmaking, topping NU with a game-high 12-point performance built from 10 successful attacks.
The offensive duo of Vange Alinsug and Belen also stepped up for the Lady Bulldogs and chipped in 10 and nine markers, respectively.
NU will look to bring their oozing confidence on February 23, 2025, when they meet with the revamped Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws in the second game of the scheduled doubleheader.
