Next queen dogs to rise

MANILA, Philippines —  Two National U royalties are leaving their queendom with a great history made and legacy achieved.

Three-time MVP Bella Belen and last season’s Finals MVP Alyssa Solomon had played their final games as Lady Bulldogs in epic fashions, leading NU to a second straight championship and third overall in the last four seasons with a 2-0 sweep of La Salle in UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball finals.

The NU Lady Bulldogs have established themselves as the great power, with a straight-sets disposal of the Lady Spikers, 25-19, 25-18, 25-19, punctuating their successful title defense.

The question, however, is where’s the troops of Sherwin Meneses heading on the exit of Belen and Solomon.

Will there be enough firepower left to defend NU’s throne next season? Who will rise and fill the big shoes left by Belen and Solomon? Is three-peat possible without them? Are the up-and-coming NU players ready to fend off the wrath of La Salle and the rest of the pack?

Inasmuch as they wanted to savor first the championship, the Lady Bulldogs assured readiness to take the baton and torch to be left behind by their seniors.

“May magli-lead na susunod. Sana sa mga maiiwan, madala namin ito sa susunod na season. Alam ko na kahit wala na ‘yung seniors namin sa first six, merong mas malakas na kapalit. At paghihirapan namin lahat ‘yan next season,” said Vange Alinsug, who’s expected to be the NU lead gun moving forward.

“Hopefully, marami pang kasunod na championships just like sa pro,” said Meneses, a champion coach in his debut year with the Lady Bulldogs.

Meneses is a seven-time champion in the PVL, best known as the architect of the Creamline dynasty. He’s fully aware that building one would require more than just court smarts, skills and talents.

Today’s battle landscape includes massive forces outside the Taraflex, making it one of the biggest factors in building or protecting a winning tradition.

“Ibang-iba na ngayon kasi sa recruitment pa lang, kailangan ka ng mag-focus. ‘Yun ang labanan ngayon eh. Ngayon, may players ang NU na magsa-succeed sa mga susunod na taon. So let’s see kung ano mangyayari,” said Meneses.

And even before its latest championship, NU has made moves in a bid to secure its future. One is landing former Santo Tomas captain Jaila Adrao for NUNS as her bridge to the UAAP women’s next season.

Led by Finals MVP Harlyn Serneche and Best Outside Spiker Denesse Daylisan, NUNS also regained the girls’ volleyball title for its seventh overall – the second-most in UAAP history.

Then there’s Alinsug, the third member of NU’s triumvirate who rose to the occasion with a Co-Finals MVP award with libero Shaira Mae Jardio.

Alinsug, Jardio and two-time Best Setter Lams Lamina will inherit the mantle of leadership with young stars Arah Panique, Celine Marsh, Alexa Mata and Abegail Pono, who are all products of NUNS’ own dynasty in high school with Belen and Solomon.

And this early, Alinsug and company assured they would be ready to chase a three-peat.