Lady Bulldogs reassert college volleyball supremacy with Shakey’s Super League four-peat

MANILA, Philippines — National University’s volleyball dynasty is not falling anytime soon.

The Lady Bulldogs over the weekend essayed a four-peat feat via sweep in the Shakey’s Super League Preseason Unity Cup, reminding everyone once again why they’re the Philippine collegiate volleyball’s crème of the crop – all without their championship core.

And for the hungry Lady Bulldogs left alone in what’s supposedly a rebuilding stage, they’re just getting started this season in a bid to not only preserve a queendom but extend it to as long as they can.

“Sana maging lesson namin ito talaga hanggang UAAP kasi gusto naming paghugutan ito na kaya naming manalo. Alam din namin na maraming nagda-doubt sa amin kasi rebuilding kami, and naging testimony sa amin ito,” said new team captain Vange Alinsug after NU’s gutsy 22-25 25-22, 25-27, 25-23, 15-10 Game 2 win over University of Santo Tomas at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Alinsug, along with Best Setter Lams Lamina who was named Tournament MVP, and Best Libero Shaira Mae Jardio were the only veterans left from the storied NU squad that won three out of the last four UAAP seasons and all four SSL tourneys.

It was Alinsug who put on the finishing touches for 19 points as the Lady Bulldogs ran away with a 10-5 blitz in the deciding set for another thrilling comeback after a 15-25, 25-23, 25-17, 13-25, 15-12 in Game 1.

NU, which also drew 24 points from incoming rookie and former juniors MVP Sam Cantada, won all its 10 matches in the Unity Cup plus three more in the SSL National Invitationals Mindanao Leg.

And they did it despite entering an uncharted territory without the quartet Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, Sheena Toring and Erin Pangilinan, who already graduated after bringing home eight UAAP titles both in the juniors and seniors division.

They had a fitting swan song in Season 87 to give NU’s first back-to-back title feat after a 16-0 season sweep in Season 84 for the school’s first women’s volleyball crown. La Salle squeaked through the NU dynasty in Season 85.

“Medyo pressured kasi kami na lang din yung naiiwan dito and yung seniors namin, umalis na din. Happy lang ako kasi lahat ng mga bata nag-step up and nagtitiwala sila sa amin, sa coaches namin, sa sistema. Happy na nakuha namin yung championship na to,” said Lamina, who dished out 25 sets in the clincher.

The Lady Bulldogs also achieved the feat despite a coaching change with Regine Diego getting her wards’ act together smoothly after the contract expiration of Season 87 architect Sherwin Meneses during the offseason.

Count on Diego, who was the former mentor of the powerhouse NU juniors team and the defunct F2 Logistics in the PVL, to be as young and hungry as the Lady Bulldogs when they shoot for a bigger goal of a three peat in the UAAP Season 88 early next year.

"Grabe 'yung growth and maturity nila. Lumalaban na sila. I hope we can still continue the legacy with a gold in the UAAP,” beamed Diego.

Meanwhile, other awardees in the SSL included UST’s Regina Jurado (Best Opposite Spiker), Adamson University’s Shaina Nitura (First Best Outside Spiker), Santo Tomas’ Xyza Gula (Second Best Outside Spiker), NU’s Chams Maaya (First Best Middle Blocker) and UST’s Marga Altea (Second Best Middle Blocker).