It was a banner day for National University (NU) volleyball: While the Lady Bulldogs sealed their third UAAP women’s volleyball title in four years, the Bulldogs on the men’s side made sure their five-peat hopes stayed alive.

Bella Belen capped her collegiate career on a high note, firing 18 points to lead NU to a dominant sweep over De La Salle University, 25-19, 25-18, and 25-19 at the Mall of Asia Arena on May 14.

With consistent poise, the Lady Bulldogs controlled the tempo from start to finish, winning each set with commanding margins of 10, 8, and 7 points.

Anchoring their rock-solid defense was Shaira Jardio, who chipped in 21 digs and 12 excellent receptions. She added 10 markers and shared the Finals MVP award with Vange Alinsug—the first time in UAAP history that two players were named co-recipients.

Staying grounded

Belen, the three-time MVP and this season’s First Best Outside Hitter, spoke about how the team stayed grounded throughout adversities in their journey to defend their title.

“We went through a lot and suffered some losses this season,” she said in Filipino. “There were many times we questioned ourselves and the path we were taking as a team. But we trusted ourselves, our teammates, our coaches, and kept putting in the work until we finally got the back-to-back championship.”

Alyssa Solomon, last year’s Finals MVP, acknowledged that she used their failed championship run in the past season as fuel for a back-to-back title: “I used Season 85 as a motivation, because we didn’t achieve what we wanted then. Now that we had another chance to go back-to-back, we gave everything we had.”

NU head coach Sherwin Meneses said the seniors led the team with maturity and built chemistry in under a year.

“I’m so thankful to the seniors,” he said. “The chemistry we formed within eight months was incredibly quick, and their leadership—especially Bella’s—was exceptional. Hopefully, she brings that same leadership to the pros.”

Meneses expressed hope that the younger players will carry the same dedication and competitive spirit in the next season.

“I hope they adopt the attitude of their seniors, who are extremely competitive and present in every training,” he said. “We’ll make sure to guide the younger players well.”

Camilla Lamina was named Best Setter of the season, while DLSU’s top gun Angel Canino was awarded the 2nd Best Outside Hitter. Her teammate, Shevana Laput, bagged both the season’s Best Opposite Spiker and AIA Defensive Player of the Finals honors.

The other awardees included DLSU’s Amie Provido, 1st Best Middle Blocker, and Lyka de Leon, Best Libero; Adamson University’s Shaina Nitura, Rookie of the Year; and University of the Philippines’ Niña Ytang, 2nd Best Middle Blocker.

Men’s finale

As the Lady Bulldogs celebrate their championship, the men’s team now turns its focus to the winner-take-all finale.

Congolese middle blocker Obed Mukaba delivered a career-high 20 points as the NU Bulldogs outlasted Far Eastern University last Wednesday in a five-set escape, 20-25, 25-22, 25-15, 18-25, and 15-11, to force a Game 3 in the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Volleyball Finals on Saturday.

Buds Buddin matched Mukaba’s output with 20 big points of his own, coming through in clutch moments to keep the Bulldogs’ title hopes alive.

NU was ahead with a 2-1 set lead but lost momentum in the fourth as FEU leveled the match.

In the deciding fifth frame, the Tamaraws took early control with an 8-5 lead, but the Bulldogs came back with a 5-0 run, capitalizing on FEU’s errors to snatch a 10-8 advantage.

FEU managed to tie it at 10-all, but NU held firm down the stretch to seal the win and extend the finals series.

Speaking in Filipino at the postgame press conference, Buddin shared how the team stayed motivated even in pressure-packed moments: “Every end of the set, we huddle and remind ourselves—why are we fighting? It’s for our dreams, and for our families. That’s always been our motivation, every single set, to remember the dream we’re working for.”

Buddin emphasized how their experience helped them stay composed during the tight five-setter. “Our maturity really showed on the court,” he said. “Our experience made a big difference, especially with our blockings—that’s where our momentum started.”

FEU’s Dryx Saavedra led all scorers with 24 points, while Amet Bituin and Chad Absin added 10 and 9 markers, respectively.

The Sampaloc-based squads now gear up for the ultimate showdown in Game 3, set for 1 p.m. on May 17 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Read more: NU bares fangs in fiery Game 1 win over La Salle