UAAP: NU Lady Bulldogs embark on redemption tour in Currys | Inquirer Sports

Source: Inquirer
Author: Lance Agcaoili

MANILA, Philippines -- The National University Lady Bulldogs are not to be outdone in the shoe game in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament.

NU has been rocking the Curry Brand after sweeping the Season 84 two years ago to end the school's 65-year title drought.

This season, Bella Belen is sporting Curry 10 "Splash Party" and Alyssa Solomon has been wearing the Spawn FloTro "Dub Nation" -- the Golden State Warriors star's first shoe with Under Armour where he signed over a decade ago.

Like the four-time NBA champion Curry who ended his team's four-year title drought in 2022, the Lady Bulldogs are on a redemption tour this Season 86 after losing the crown last year.

"Hopefully," Belen told Inquirer Sports in Filipino when asked about redeeming themselves this year. "We'll work hard for it."

"We're taking it one game at a time. When we see our lapses after a game, we address it in practice right away and then apply it to our next game," said Solomon.

So far, they're on the right track having won five in a row since an opening loss to University of Santo Tomas last month.

Aside from the whole NU team repping the brand, several volleyball players in the country, including the PVL stars, have been using the signature shoes of the greatest three-point shooter of all time.

"A lot of players are wearing these shoes because it's really comfortable. It's light, it has a soft cushioning, and feels that you're not wearing a shoe because of its good ventilation," Belen said.

Solomon's weapon of choice is the Curry Spawn, which she calls Sponge Bob because of its yellow and blue colorway, as she prefers mid-cut sneakers.

"I'm prone to tweaking my ankles when I wear lows. That's why I always wear mid-cut," said the opposite spiker in Filipino. "It's comfortable and at the same time, it keeps me from injury."

NU ends the first round against defending champion La Salle, which is sporting a NikeByYou Sabrina 1s -- Sabrina Ionescu's signature shoe, in a keenly awaited finals rematch on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.