MANILA - National University's Michaela Belen has been nothing short of spectacular in just her first season with the Lady Bulldogs.

The rookie leads her team in scoring with 173 points through 12 matches, while registering a 38.67% spiking efficiency — good for third in the league. She is also the league's best server (0.53 ace per game), the ninth-best digger (2.33 digs per set), and sixth-best receiver (39.52%).

On Saturday, she tied the record for most aces in a match after scoring eight times off her serve against the University of the Philippines in a 25-15, 25-10, 25-15 triumph. It was NU's 12th straight win in UAAP Season 84, putting them two wins away from a sweep of the elimination round.

For Belen, her performance against the Fighting Maroons made up for what she felt was a subpar outing in their previous game against the Adamson Lady Falcons last Thursday.

"Happy po ako kasi nakabawi po ako," said Belen, who had a total of 16 points against the Fighting Maroons on Saturday.

"Noong last game po, halos wala po ako napasok na serve," she recalled. "Kaya noong may training po kami, nag-focus kami sa service-receive namin, which is doon po kami nagkulang noong last game."

Belen had 18 points on 17 kills against the Lady Falcons, but she struggled with her serve and NU dropped the third set before recovering to take down Adamson in four, 25-20, 25-17, 13-25, 25-13.

There were no such issues against UP, where Belen scored eight aces off 17 attempts. She also added eight kills, and the Lady Bulldogs swept the Fighting Maroons in just an hour and 26 minutes.

"Lagi lang po na nasa isip ko na hindi naman po kailangan dapat lagi ace," Belen said of her mindset while at the service line. "Dapat lang, on target."

"Sinabi din po kasi sa akin na pag unang serve ko, 'di ko kailangan lakasan kasi may tendency na mag-error -- which is, katulad po noong nangyari last game," she added. "So 'yun lang po, nag-prepare lang ako ng mas maayos po ngayon."

Belen's eight aces tied a record set by former Ateneo star Dzi Gervacio in February 2013, when she also scored eight points off her serve in a sweep of UP in Season 75.

After etching her name in the UAAP history books, Belen says that her full focus is on their remaining matches in the elimination round as the Lady Bulldogs look to complete a sweep. They return to action on Tuesday against Far Eastern University (1-11).

"Sabi po namin sa sarili namin, one game at a time lang dapat," said Belen, who starred for NU's girls volleyball program. "'Yung preparation namin kada game, same lang din sa bawat game hanggang sa makarating kami sa kung saan man."