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UAAP: Lady Bulldogs 'humbled' by Japan training camp

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Karl Cedrick Basco, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Photo from Shakey" s="" Super="" League="" media="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/sports/11/19/nu-celebration-1.jpg"/><figcaption>Photo from Shakey&#x27;s Super League media bureau</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA – “Ang layo pa ng team namin.”The National University Lady Bulldogs may have left the local volleyball fans in awe last year after their historic 16-0 title run in the UAAP Season 84, but the NU girls know they cannot be complacent. In fact, their recent training camp in Japan made the Lady Bulldogs realize that their skills are still far from their goal.“Hindi lang medyo nabugbog, but bugbog. As in bugbog talaga,” was how head coach Karl Dimaculangan described their training in Japan. As part of their preparation for their title defense in Season 85, NU flew to Japan for a two-week practice in December, setting tune-ups and scrimmages with various teams. But unlike in the Philippines where they just overpowered other squads, the Lady Bulldogs struggled to be at par with Japanese teams. “It really humbled us. As in, lala. As in talaga. Siyempre dito, iba eh. Iba &#x27;yung situation. Parang lagi kaming panalo, panalo. But when we played against the Japan team, &#x27;yung score namin, like 10, 15. Parang sobrang saya pag umabot kami ng 20. Ganoon kataas &#x27;yung level ng volleyball nila,” veteran libero Jen Nierva said. Nierva continued that their stint in Japan opened their eyes that they “are nothing” despite being a UAAP champion. This, however, helped them to adjust their mindset heading to the upcoming season. She said that they are embracing the challenge to move their games a notch higher to duplicate the volleyball practices they learned from Japan. “Ito pala &#x27;yung level nila dito. Na &#x27;yung mga practices namin dito sa training, iniba talaga namin. Like, tinry talaga namin &#x27;yung best namin na at least, &#x27;yung discipline, &#x27;yung hard work na talagang alam mo &#x27;yun, focus ka lang sa volleyball and i-angat &#x27;yung skills mo,” she added. Rookie-MVP Bella Belen also echoed the same sentiments, adding that she really looks up to Japan’s volleyball program.“Noong pumunta po kami ng Japan, doon ko na-realize na ang layo pa. Ang layo pa ng team namin. Ang layo pa kung nasaan kami doon sa mismong goal talaga,” Belen shared.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/19/22/volleyball-lady-bulldogs-capture-shakeys-super-league-title">Volleyball: NU Lady Bulldogs capture Shakey’s Super League title</a></li></ul>But their overwhelming defeats in Japan – which they hardly experience in the Philippines – motivated Belen to adopt the volleyball culture of the Japanese – including their discipline when it comes to the sport. Belen also acknowledged that they will be challenged in their quest for a title repeat – fully aware that all of the UAAP teams are raring to beat them this upcoming season. But she assured, they won’t make it easy for other teams either.“Kami siyempre, hindi po kami papayag. Katulad nga po, iniisip namin after last season, paano kami magiging better. Paano namin mas mahihigitan &#x27;yung last season namin. Kasi siyempre, wala po kaming ngayong tinitingnan kun&#x27;di sarili namin,” she continued. She also warned that their team is more competitive now than last year’s lineup that lost only five sets in the entire duration of the tournament.The Lady Bulldogs will open their campaign on February 25, Saturday, when they face the Ateneo Blue Eagles at the Mall of Asia Arena.<div>RELATED VIDEO</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2163261" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The Lady Bulldogs may have left the local volleyball fans in awe after their historic 16-0 UAAP title run, but they know they can't be complacent. 

UAAP: Lady Bulldogs 'humbled' by Japan training camp

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UAAP: Lady Bulldogs 'humbled' by Japan training camp

Karl Cedrick Basco,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 22, 2023 04:44 PM PHT

|

Updated February 22, 2023 07:26 PM PHT

Read More:

NU

Lady Bulldogs

UAAP

UAAP Season 85

volleyball

UAAP volleyball

Bella Belen

Jen Nierva

NU Lady Bulldogs

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