THE last time National University won against La Salle in UAAP women's volleyball was when the Lady Bulldogs completed a 16-game sweep of Season 84 en route to its first title in 65 years.
Back then, reigning MVP Angel Canino wasn't a Lady Spiker yet. And in five matches since she joined the Taft side in Season 85, Canino & Co. always had the better of their modern-day rivals from Jhocson.
As was the case in the past year, La Salle ruled its first-round battle with NU this season through Canino's 17 markers and a game-high 20-piece from Shevana Laput.
READ: Bella Belen finds other ways to help NU cause in rare off-night
It might be a different story, however, come Sunday as Canino's playing status remains in limbo following an undisclosed arm injury sustained prior to the resumption of second-round action after the Holy Week break.
While Lady Spikers deputy coach Noel Orcullo was tight-lipped on whether Canino will return in time for the title rematch against NU, he did confirm that their ace spiker is already on the mend and undergoing therapy to ramp up her recovery.
But whatever the case may be, NU scoring ace Bella Belen vowed that the Lady Bulldogs will be ready for whoever stands opposite to them come Sunday as their title redemption bid continues.
"Confident naman ako sa team namin na kaya naming lumaban with or without Angel (Canino sa La Salle). Alam ng bawat isa sa’min kung ano ‘yung trabaho namin, kung ano ‘yung goal namin. Kailangan naming bumawi kasi natalo po nila kami nu’ng first round and hindi kami dapat matalo this second round kasi crucial na rin eh, for twice-to-beat na rin talaga.
"Sabi namin, i-expect namin na kumpleto ‘yung La Salle na talagang pati si Angel maglalaro. Hindi dapat kami mag-underestimate ng kalaban. Kumbaga nandun pa rin ‘yung respect. Nandun man si Angel o wala, kailangan ‘yung performance namin, talagang maganda. Kung sino ba talaga ‘yung NU, kung paano kami mag-training, dapat ‘yun pa rin ‘yung dala namin," Belen said.
Grit, heart and eagerness to win
For Belen's fellow scoring machine in Alyssa Solomon and team captain Erin Pangilinan, the Lady Bulldogs must wear their hearts on their sleeves and fight with grit to underline their title credentials against no less than the defending champinos.
"'Yung madadala namin sa Sunday, 'yung puso sa game kasi importante 'yun na makikita mo 'yung teammates mo na lumalaban so parang ikaw din, dapat ibigay mo rin 'yung best mo para sa kanila dahil ibibigay rin nila yung best nila para sa team," Solomon said.
"Natutunan namin from the first round against La Salle is 'yung grit talaga tsaka 'yung puso. (Kailangan naming ipakita) kung paano mo gugustuhin 'yung laro at paano mo talaga siya bibigyan ng puso. 'Pag binigay mo lahat, wala namang mawawala eh so we have to really give everything. Kapag 'yung isa all fired up, everyone has to be fired up din."
"La Salle is La Salle talaga and we have to show kung ano meron kami. Hindi pwede mag-stuck up kami dahil nagugulat kami sa nangyayari. Dapat kami as a team, we have to handle every situation na sama-sama, hindi 'yung naghihiwalay," Pangilinan added.
Belen, meanwhile, underscored a specific weakness that has long haunted NU when it comes to facing La Salle: slow starts.
"Siguro ‘yung eagerness namin to win and to finish the game. Kasi lagi eh, kahit nung last season, una kaming nakaka-dalawang sets tapos nahihirapan kaming mag-close ng game.
"Isa na rin ‘yun na dapat trabahuin namin, ‘yung eagerness na tapusin ‘yung game na ‘wag na naming pahirapan ‘yung sarili namin lalo na ‘pag alam naman namin sa sarili namin na kaya namin," said Belen.
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