BELLA Belen has undobtedly been a generational talent with a handful of firsts attached to her name.
To name a few, she’s the first UAAP women’s volleyball rookie-MVP, first National U player to have her jersey retired, and first overall pick in the 2025 PVL Draft, among many other milestones.
On Thursday, she won her first game as a pro by towing Capital1 to a 25-20, 23-25, 27-25, 25-12 win over Nxled where she churned out 15 points and 14 digs.
READ: Capital1 finally gets sun to shine after dimming Nxled's light
With more career firsts bound to come her way, Belen looked back at a pivotal breakthrough that became a launchpad for her to achieve even more milestones — her first UAAP seniors’ win.
NU-Nazareth School’s champion core fronted by Belen and Alyssa Solomon had a triumphant seniors debut against Adamson, 25-15, 25-23, 25-18, to begin their 16-game Season 84 sweep.
Belen had 14 points in that game, one shy of her first PVL pro win output.
But something about winning for the first time as a pro just hits different for the ex-Lady Bulldogs stalwart.
“Feeling ko, mas masaya ngayon. Masaya rin naman nu’n, kaso kasi ‘yung mga teammates ko du’n, kasama ko na sila before. From high school, ‘pag nananalo ako, sila rin yung kasama ko,” she shared with SPIN.ph.
“Masaya siya kasi first ko sa collegiate, pero ngayon, mas masaya kasi yung mga kasama ko, hindi ko pa naman sila sobrang nakasama nang matagal.”
It might just be one win, but Belen already sees it as a good omen on what still lies ahead for the Solar Spikers.
“Just imagine paano pa kapag nag-jell kami after ilang years, after nitong conference, kung ano pa ‘yung pwede naming ma-perform sa next conferences,” she added.
Bella sets sights on next ‘first’
There’s one specific first Belen has in mind next after clearing the first win hurdle after three tries.
Having reached the quarterfinals with history-making Russian winger Marina Tushova in last year’s Reinforced Conference, Capital1’s newest weapon wants to take it up a notch.
“Unti-untiin natin. Nakapasok na [‘yung Capital1] sa quarters so first semis naman." she said.
“Nakuha na namin yung first win, so siyempre, we're looking naman sa iba pang mga firsts.”
With the euphoria of a once-unlikely back-to-back Lady Bulldogs title wins in Seasons 86 and 87 still fresh in her heart, it would be her greatest honor to pull off a feat of such magnitude as a pro sooner rather than later.
“Recently lang ‘yun nu’ng nag-back to back kami sa NU. ‘Yan talaga yung hindi ko makakalimutan kasi hindi siya birong gawin sa career ko,” she said.
“Siguro sa mga next, titignan po natin kung ano pa yung mga first na hindi ko makakalimutan.”
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