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Bella Belen Shines As Capital1 Flexes New Muscle Against ZUS Coffee
Photo credit: PVL
Capital1 quickly showed why its busy offseason was worth it.
The Solar Spikers opened their PVL All-Filipino Conference campaign with an emphatic 25-17, 25-16, 15-25, 25-19 win over the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles on Tuesday night at the FilOil Playtime Centre in Pasig, flashing depth, confidence, and a whole lot of firepower.
Bella Belen was right at the heart of it. Picking up where she left off in her standout rookie season, the former UAAP star poured in 26 points, saving her best for a blistering fourth-set takeover that sealed the victory. This time, though, she didn’t have to do everything on her own.
Help arrived—and it came in waves.
New recruits Shaya Adorador, Ysa Jimenez, and Pauline Gaston delivered immediate impact, scoring 14, 13, and 10 points, respectively. Their timely hits, steady defense, and nonstop energy allowed Capital1 to play with a calm and control rarely seen in past seasons.
ZUS Coffee struggled to find rhythm without injured star AC Miner, and Capital1 made sure to take advantage. From the opening serve, the Solar Spikers dictated the pace, dominating the first two sets before a brief stumble in the third gave the Thunderbelles a lifeline.
Veteran Jovelyn Gonzaga led ZUS Coffee’s push to extend the match, with Riza Nogales, Chinnie Arroyo, and Fiola Ceballos stepping up to force a fourth set. For a moment, the Thunderbelles looked ready to steal momentum, even grabbing a 16-13 lead at the second technical timeout after a strong comeback.
That was when Belen flipped the switch.
Once she rotated back to her favorite spot, Belen became unstoppable. She tied the game with a powerful hit through two defenders, then followed it up with three straight kills that ignited an 11-2 closing run. Even when ZUS Coffee managed to block her once, Jimenez answered to keep the pressure on.
Belen capped the night with back-to-back thunderous spikes to reach match point, before ZUS Coffee’s final attempt drifted just wide, sealing the Solar Spikers’ statement win.
“Inisip ko lang kung pano i-close out ang game kasi may chance kami,” Belen said after the match.
True to form, she brushed off the spotlight and credited her teammates for making the difference.
“We’re very thankful that we had additional players; they’re a big help to the team,” she said, pointing to Adorador, Gaston, Cherry Nunag, Jimenez, and Ezra Madrigal.
ZUS Coffee got 15 points from Thea Gagate, with Nogales adding 12, Arroyo 11, and Gonzaga 10, but it wasn’t enough to slow down a Capital1 squad that looked deeper, sharper, and more confident than ever.
Beyond the scoring, Belen also made her presence felt on defense, finishing with 16 digs and seven receptions—proof that her fourth-set explosion was only part of a complete, all-around performance.
The Solar Spikers opened their PVL All-Filipino Conference campaign with an emphatic 25-17, 25-16, 15-25, 25-19 win over the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles on Tuesday night at the FilOil Playtime Centre in Pasig, flashing depth, confidence, and a whole lot of firepower.
Bella Belen was right at the heart of it. Picking up where she left off in her standout rookie season, the former UAAP star poured in 26 points, saving her best for a blistering fourth-set takeover that sealed the victory. This time, though, she didn’t have to do everything on her own.
Help arrived—and it came in waves.
New recruits Shaya Adorador, Ysa Jimenez, and Pauline Gaston delivered immediate impact, scoring 14, 13, and 10 points, respectively. Their timely hits, steady defense, and nonstop energy allowed Capital1 to play with a calm and control rarely seen in past seasons.
ZUS Coffee struggled to find rhythm without injured star AC Miner, and Capital1 made sure to take advantage. From the opening serve, the Solar Spikers dictated the pace, dominating the first two sets before a brief stumble in the third gave the Thunderbelles a lifeline.
Veteran Jovelyn Gonzaga led ZUS Coffee’s push to extend the match, with Riza Nogales, Chinnie Arroyo, and Fiola Ceballos stepping up to force a fourth set. For a moment, the Thunderbelles looked ready to steal momentum, even grabbing a 16-13 lead at the second technical timeout after a strong comeback.
That was when Belen flipped the switch.
Once she rotated back to her favorite spot, Belen became unstoppable. She tied the game with a powerful hit through two defenders, then followed it up with three straight kills that ignited an 11-2 closing run. Even when ZUS Coffee managed to block her once, Jimenez answered to keep the pressure on.
Belen capped the night with back-to-back thunderous spikes to reach match point, before ZUS Coffee’s final attempt drifted just wide, sealing the Solar Spikers’ statement win.
“Inisip ko lang kung pano i-close out ang game kasi may chance kami,” Belen said after the match.
True to form, she brushed off the spotlight and credited her teammates for making the difference.
“We’re very thankful that we had additional players; they’re a big help to the team,” she said, pointing to Adorador, Gaston, Cherry Nunag, Jimenez, and Ezra Madrigal.
ZUS Coffee got 15 points from Thea Gagate, with Nogales adding 12, Arroyo 11, and Gonzaga 10, but it wasn’t enough to slow down a Capital1 squad that looked deeper, sharper, and more confident than ever.
Beyond the scoring, Belen also made her presence felt on defense, finishing with 16 digs and seven receptions—proof that her fourth-set explosion was only part of a complete, all-around performance.
Feb 4, 2026
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