MANILA, Philippines — Bella Belen heard multiple MVP chants during Game One of the UAAP Season 84 women's volleyball final between the NU Lady Bulldogs and the DLSU Lady Spikers at the Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday.
But for NU's star hitter, the coveted individual accolade could not be farther from her mind. Now as the Lady Bulldogs are one win away from ending a 65-year championship drought, all Belen wants is to get the team the trophy.
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"Ako po kasi naglalaro lang po ako. Kasi ang goal po talaga namin is yung mag-champion po this season. Hindi yung individual awards," she said.
Belen came out with a masterclass against DLSU, hacking out 15 points to lead four NU scorers in twin digit scoring.
But whatever may come out of their campaign apart from the championship trophy, for Belen, it's just going to be the icing on the cake.
"Siguro po kung magkakaron po man kami ngayon [ng individual awards], siguro po malaking buenas po sa'min," she said.
"Kasi nagta-trabaho po kami as a team. So yung parang extra trophy na lang sa mga hard work na ginagawa po namin," she added.
Belen is the frontrunner for both league MVP and Rookie of the Year.
But it seems like nothing will be sweeter for Belen like lifting the UAAP championship trophy as a team.
She and the rest of the NU Lady Bulldogs gun for their first title since 1957 in Game Two on Tuesday.