Bella Belen powered the Capital1 Solar Spikers to a 25-21, 18-25, 25-18, 19-25, 15-10 victory over the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in the PVL All-Filipino Conference on Tuesday, Feb. 17,  at the FilOil Playtime Centre in San Juan. The win snapped Capital1’s two-game skid and evened its record at 2-2.

The match stretched to two hours and 18 minutes as both teams traded control through four lopsided sets. Capital1 proved steadier in the deciding frame, surviving five ties and four lead changes before capitalizing on late Choco Mucho errors.

Capital1 leaned on its young star when the pressure peaked. Bella Belen delivered her most explosive performance of the conference while anchoring the team on both ends.

Bella Belen delivers career night under pressure

Bella Belen finished with a career-high 29 points, surpassing her previous 28-point output earlier in the tournament. The three-time UAAP MVP also extended her streak of 20-plus scoring games to four straight matches.

After battling cramps in the fourth set, Belen returned in the fifth with renewed composure. She broke a 6-all deadlock with consecutive points and later added back-to-back conversions to help Capital1 establish a cushion it would not relinquish.

Beyond scoring, Belen anchored the floor defense with 15 excellent digs. Her two-way effort steadied the Solar Spikers during the most critical stretch of the match.

“I’m really happy we were able to pull this off,” Belen said in Filipino. She added that the victory reflected collective trust and teamwork rather than individual effort.

Capital1 steadies as Choco Mucho falters late

Choco Mucho drew 22 points from Sisi Rondina, 19 from Kat Tolentino, and 15 from Des Cheng. However, crucial service and attack errors in the fifth set halted their comeback bid.

A service miscue handed Capital1 breathing room, while a failed challenge on a block-touch call erased a potential momentum shift. The Flying Titans absorbed their third straight loss after opening the conference with a sweep of Akari.

Capital1 received balanced support throughout the match. Shaya Adorador and Ezra Madrigal scored seven points apiece, while Ysa Jimenez and Pauline Gaston added six each to complement Belen’s breakout night.