MANILA, Philippines — Bella Belen may be missing the Capital1 Solar Spikers amid the hectic Alas Pilipinas calendar, but she vows to fight for her pro team once she debuts in the PVL, just like how she went all out for National University.

Belen, who won the UAAP MVP and championship thrice, is aware of the high expectations upon her arrival at the fast-rising Capital1.

READ: Accolades continue to pile up for Bella Belen

One thing she can promise is to keep playing her heart out as she embarks on a new journey with the Solar Spikers.

“The pressure will always be there, especially with people’s expectations. But I’ll focus more on the expectations I have for myself. I have my own goals, and I’ll work to exceed what I showed in the UAAP, even if we know that playing in the pros is different from college. I will really do my best,” Belen told reporters in the Collegiate Press Corps Awards after receiving her third UAAP Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year on Monday.

“One thing I can promise Capital1 is that I will fight for them just like I did for NU. That’s just the kind of person I am. Once I commit to something, I’ll fight for it.”

Belen is currently with Alas Pilipinas due to the national team period and is still unsure when she’s debuting for Capital1 with the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand slated late November.

But the 23-year-old spiker was thrilled to enter a new environment after meeting Capital1 in one of its practices for the PVL on Tour.

READ: PVL: Expectations rise for Capital1 with ‘franchise maker’ Bella Belen

“At first, it felt a bit strange because I’ve been with NU for 11 years, so I was already used to the people there. When I got to Capital1, it was a completely different set of players, coaches, and management, a totally new environment,” said Belen.

“I’m excited for the future with Capital1 because I believe they have really talented players, especially with their new draft picks like Pia (Abbu) and Ate Ivy (Aquino), who will be a big help to the team. We’ll fight until the end, as far as we can go. The team is still young, having been built just last year if I’m not mistaken, so I’m excited to see what I can contribute.”

Belen is also grateful to have the familiarity of coach Jorge De Brito’s system, as she has been playing for the national squad since 2022.

“It hasn’t been hard for me to adjust because Coach Jorge has been my coach in the national team since 2022, so it’s been a while, and I already know him and maybe he knows me well too, or us as players,” said Belen.

READ: No surprise as Bella Belen picked first in PVL Rookie Draft

“But he’s also just newly joined Capital1, and it’s only been a few weeks since he started training with them. I’m really excited to learn more from Coach Jorge.”

Despite the high expectations, Belen is also staying patient as Capital1 is still a young team with a new system under De Brito.

“Building a team takes time, especially when it comes to connection. Unlike in college, where you’re together in the dorm, the gym, and everywhere else, in the pros, everyone has their own lives, so it really takes time to build a strong team. We’ll take it step by step, just like we did at NU,” Belen said. “We didn’t become strong in just one year. It took time. Now, even if we only have a few years, we’ll try our best, especially since we all share the same drive to win and the same passion for the sport.”