EIGHT wins in 10 matches sent National University straight to the Final Four of the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament to take an all-important stride in its title reclamation bid.
For Lady Bulldogs top stars Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon, there's no sense putting more pressure on themselves than there already is as their redemption season approaches its most crucial stretch.
READ: NU Lady Bulldogs stretch win run to three after rout of UE
"Nandun na 'yung gigil (sa team na manalo) but at the same time, parang inuunti-unti namin 'yung process kasi parang kapag the more na minamadali mo yung isang bagay, the more na parang di mo makukuha yung goal na 'yun," said Solomon.
Belen added: "'Yung naging trend po ng performance ng team namin is talagang paakyat kahit may talo kami nung last round. Nakita namin 'yung performance namin na parang every game, paunti-unting nagiimprove and happy po ako kasi parang nag-ppeak kami at the right time. Hindi yung biglaan, unti-unti po talaga."
Now riding on a three-game win streak, Belen credited NU's run of good form to the team's more 'disciplined' performances now that a Final Four spot is already within arm's reach.
"Nasa disiplina and nasa training namin (kung bakit maganda 'yung nilalaro namin) kasi sa training palang, sinasabi namin kung ano pa 'yung dapat naming i-improve and dapat 'di ganito kabilis (mag-peak) kasi meron pa kaming illang games," Belen said.
"Dapat unti-unti lang para pagdating ng time na kailangan mag-peak na talaga kami, 'yun na 'yung peak namin."
Learn and unleash
It was an uphill battle for the Lady Bulldogs entering Season 86 after being dealt an early reality check in an opening straight-sets loss to league-leading University of Sto. Tomas.
Belen, however, took pride in the fact that they've left the struggles of the past behind as they look on to the promise of a golden future.
"Katulad nang ginagawa namin sa lahat ng teams, talagang pinag-aaralan namin sila. Sa training pa lang, pinupulido na namin 'yung galaw namin (tapos ngayon 'yung UE sa game namin), wala silang blocks and service aces.
"Sa training po, nag-fofocus din kami sa receives namin kasi nung nag-start yung UAAP, dun po kami parang sobrang down and '/yung sa attacks namin so talagang sa training pa lang, tinatry na namin gawin 'yung mga dapat talaga naming gawin sa game para hindi na kami mahirapan," said Belen.
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