A new champion will be crowned this season after streaking National University Nazareth School dethroned Adamson University 25-13, 25-22 to clinch a semifinals seat yesterday in the 2025 Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (SGVIL) Rising Stars Cup Division 1 at the La Salle Green Hills Gym.
The unbeaten Lady Bullpups charged back from six points down in the second set to finish off the Lady Baby Falcons in the knockout quarterfinals for their fifth straight win and move a step closer to claiming a breakthrough title in the country’s biggest grassroots volleyball league backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner and R and B Milk Tea.
Reigning UAAP MVP Sam Cantada punished her former team with nine points, including five in the second frame, as the recently crowned PalarongPambansa champion NUNS stamped its class over its UAAP Season 87 finals victim.
“Sa akin kahitgrabeang pressure kasisyemprepodatikong school ‘yun. Good thing namanna-overcome ko ‘yung pressure at na-handle kosiya ng maayos,” said Cantada, who led Adamson to runner-up finish before transferring to NUNS.
The Lady Bullpups trailed, 16-10, before sparking a 9-3 run capped by a Cantanda service winner to knot the second frame at 19.
LhourizTudao gave the Lady Baby Falcons their last taste of the lead, 21-20. Tudao’s costly service error in the next play ignited a 5-1 closing blitz for NUNS sealed by a Jenelyn Jacob shutdown against Ellaine Gonzalvo.
“Every time nanagkaka-error nire-remind ponaminangisa’tisana di naminkailangangmagmadali and hindipopwedengmagre-relax kami. Hindi porke’tnanalo kami saPalaro or yungkompiyansanaminnagalingsaPalaro eh magre-relax na kami. And hindi pa namantaposkasi may goal kami ditosaShakey’s,” Cantada said.
Jacob and HarlynSerneche scored seven points each for the Lady Bullpups, who will take on undefeated Emilio Aguinaldo College in the knockout best-of-five sets Final Four on Friday.
The Lady Brigadiers defeated King’s Montessori School 25-22, 25-16 to earn a semis spot.
Angel Joy Perez fired 17 points anchored on 15 attacks and two aces while HanameelSaplot backed her up with nine markers as EAC remained unblemished after five games in the tournament backed by Mikasa, Asics, Team Rebel Sports, Belo Deo and Smart.
Bacolod Tay Tung survived feisty Far Eastern University-Diliman 25-22, 27-25to book a semis ticket and stay unblemished after five starts.
Camila Bartolome scored eight points while RhoseAlmendralejo chipped in seven markers as the Thunderbolts advanced to their third straight semis appearance.
The PalarongPambansa runner-up will face De La Salle-Lipa in the Final Four.
FelissSumague and Kyle Aldovino showed the way in the Green Stallions’ upset over erstwhile unbeaten Arellano University25-23, 17-25, 25-19 in the lone Division 1 quarters pairing that went to a deciding frame.
Sumague and Aldovino finished with nine points each for the Batangas-based squad.
