MANILA — NU Lady Bulldogs star Bella Belen has already cemented her legacy in UAAP women’s volleyball.
The 21-year-old Belen, who concluded her third playing year with her second championship in the league, continued to deliver for the Norman Miguel-coached spikers by averaging 16 points, 9.5 digs, and 7.5 receptions in their pair of wins in the Season 86 Finals.
“We're very happy kasi yung mga pinaghirapan namin sa training and as a team, talagang nakita kong nag bunga,” said Belen, who received her second UAAP Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors right before they swept the UST Golden Tigresses.
WATCH: Bella Belen consoles Detdet Pepito after UAAP Finals
READ: NU star Bella Belen is UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball MVP
“Yung emosyon kanina, sobrang taas, iyak talaga kami nang iyak, parang ito na, nasuklian lahat ng pagod namin. Lahat ng paghihirap namin sa training, sa school, lahat ng paghihirap na pwede niyong isipin, andun na. Yun, nasuklian talaga. Eto yung parang pinaka masarap, pinaka magandang sukli sa amin ni God.”
Also adding more fulfillment for the Season 86 Best Outside Hitter, she said, was how they redeemed themselves after a failed championship defense in Season 85 against the De La Salle Lady Spikers as well as an early defeat against UST in Season 86.
“Proud ako sa team ko kasi nagkaroon po kami ng mga talo this season. At maraming mga taong hindi naniwala sa amin from that loss, lalo na yung una naming talo,” she explained.
“Marami talagang nag-doubt sa amin na hindi na namin kaya, na ‘di na namin kaya mag-Finals. Pero pinakita naman namin na 'Anong di kayang mag-finals? NU pa rin kami, kaya namin,' parang ganun.”
“Kahit natalo kami at maraming taong nag-doubt, talagang buo pa rin kami at sama-samang lumaban,” she added.
But now that she has completed her redemption with another championship and MVP plum, will Belen remain in Jhocson to help bring another gold to National U?
“Uhmmm, pwede po, gusto ko rin naman po [mag stay],” she told a few reporters.
“Gusto ko rin naman kasi sino ba naman pong hindi gugustuhin na makasama yung talagang palaban na team? Talagang hardworking na NU? Sobrang saya ko na sila yung nakasama ko throughout my career,” Bella continued.
Belen was also among the list of players who were lined up for the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup next week, but for now, the 5-foot-8 ace said that her focus is celebrating their title as well as attending to her responsibilities as a student-athlete.
“Di ko pa po alam [kung sasama kami sa National Team]. Alam ko si Ate [Alyssa Solomon] may checkup for injury niya before. Then siguro titignan namin, magre-report muna sa school, then siguro enjoy muna namin yung championship for saglitan,” she commented.
Still, Bella said that she is grateful for the invitation to be a part of Alas Pilipinas.
“Every volleyball player naman po yun po talaga yung ultimate goal, maging part ng National Team at makapag compete sa international. Sobrang nakaka-proud din sa sarili kasi nakikita rin naman pala po ng ibang tao yung pinaghihirapan ko at gusto nilang maging part ako ng national team, so yun, sobrang happy,” she ended.