NU forced to dig deep before tripping Ateneo
NU Lady Bulldogs’ Bella Belen. –UAAP PHOTO
National U had very little need for making excuses over the last two seasons.
Nowadays, the Lady Bulldogs find themselves reaching for one.
“I think this is unpopular for everyone,” said returning NU head coach Norman Miguel. “I think the team is just starting to recover coming from the University Games. And after that, we had a series of practice games against top club teams.
NU, which swept its way to the crown in Season 84 before yielding the title to La Salle in the Season 85 finals, has looked vulnerable two games into Season 86—even in victory.
A gritty 25-17, 24-26, 26-28, 25-19, 15-7 win against a rebuilding Ateneo squad at SM Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday evening did little to prove that the Lady Bulldogs had righted their ship after dropping a straight-sets defeat to University of Santo Tomas in their opener.
“I think we just lack recovery that’s why we performed like this,” Miguel said.
NU needed the heroics of Bella Belen and Vangie Alinsug to hold off a stubborn Ateneo and even its record to 1-1 (win-loss).
In the other game, Adamson also took its first win by whipping University of the Philippines, 25-22, 25-22, 28-26.
