National University star Bella Belen in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament. Photo from UAAP Media.MANILA — National University star Bella Belen is on pace to win her third UAAP women’s volleyball tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
After the Lady Bulldogs’ perfect Season 87 Round 1 campaign, Belen remained on top of all players as she finished with 159.600 Statistical Points (SPs) following their 7-0 record.
Despite only placing seventh in league scoring with a total of 107 points (84 attacks, 17 aces, six blocks), Belen displayed an all-around outing for National U.
She finished sixth in the digging department with an average of 2.60 per set (also the highest-ranked non-libero in that department), and fifth in receptions with a 33.58% efficiency rate (second highest non-libero next to Angel Canino who is at 34.93, and higher than Season 86 Best Libero Detdet Pepito who is at 32.61).
Following Belen in SPs is De La Salle University’s Shevana Laput who currently has 157.692 after the Lady Spikers’ 5-2 campaign in Round 1. She is also the leading candidate as the Best Opposite Spiker, while next to her is NU’s Alyssa Solomon.
Another La Salle standout in Lilay Del Castillo is leading the Best Middle Blocker race. Far Eastern University’s Tin Ubaldo is the top candidate for Best Setter, NU’s Shaira Jardio for the Best Libero, while Adamson University’s Shaina Nitura is the favorite to win Rookie of the Year.
On the other hand, Ateneo de Manila University’s Kennedy Batas currently leads all men’s volleyball players with 160.370 SPs.
Ateneo de Manila University star Kennedy Batas in the UAAP Season 87 men’s volleyball tournament. Photo from UAAP Media.The Blue Eagles star is the most favored to win the Best Opposite Spiker award after their division’s first seven games, and this was after he led the Katipunan-based hitters to a 4-3 record, currently enough for a Top 4 spot.
University of Santo Tomas’ Jan Macam is currently the best candidate for Best Outside Spiker and ROTY, his teammate Poy Colinares is the Best Middle Blocker after Round 1, another Golden Spiker in Dux Yambao is favored to win Best Setter, and La Salle’s Menard Guerrero is the top libero.
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