By: Justine Anne Gaerlan
After ceding the title last season, National University Nazareth School ensured redemption in dominant fashion.
The Lady Bullpups reclaimed the UAAP High School Girls’ Volleyball crown, dethroning the Adamson Baby Lady Falcons with a commanding 33-31, 25-19, 25-17 victory on Saturday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena in Manila.
The sweep in the best-of-three Finals was emphatic, with NUNS also taking Game 1 in straight sets, 25-16, 25-21, 25-13.
This championship marks NUNS’ seventh overall, making them the second-winningest team in the tournament’s history, behind De La Salle Zobel’s 10 titles.
The Lady Bullpups’ last triumph came in Season 85, also at the expense of the Lady Baby Falcons, led by standouts Abegail Pono, Kianne Olango, and Celine Marsh.
NUNS is 3-1 overall against Adamson in the Girls’ Volleyball Finals.
“In terms of ‘yung composition kasi ng team parang naging mabilis ‘yung mga changes. So nakakatuwa lang na naka-adjust lahat even ako as coach since first ko mag-head sa high school, and then ‘yung hard work namin paid off naman,” said Lady Bullpups head coach Karl Dimaculangan, who was also the head coach of the Lady Bulldogs during their title run in Season 84 that ended a 65-year drought.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
The Lady Bullpups showcased resilience, especially in the first set, which turned into an epic battle.
NUNS reached set point off an ace by Rihanna Navarro, but Adamson’s Janna Dizon tied it at 24-all with a clutch block. Both teams exchanged blows in a thrilling deuce battle that extended eight times.
Ultimately, Finals MVP Harlyn Serneche delivered back-to-back kills to secure the set, 33-31.
The Lady Bullpups rode the momentum into the second set, racing to a commanding 19-11 lead behind the Lady Falcons’ series of errors.
Despite a late push from Adamson, a crucial block from Kate Dela Peña put NUNS at set point, and a net touch by Adamson sealed it, 25-19.
In the third set, NUNS went on a decisive nine-point stretch, fueled by attack errors from Adamson and precise strikes from Denesse Daylisan.
An error from Kristal Martin gave NUNS championship point, and another error from Martin sealed the title for the Lady Bullpups.
Daylisan was the top scorer for NUNS, recording 18 points on 17 kills and an ace. She was ably supported by Diza Berayo, who added 11 points, and Serneche, who tallied nine points on six attacks, two aces, and a block and collected nine digs.
Serneche also contributed nine points in Game 1, earning her the Finals MVP honor to cap her high school career on a high note.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Syempre po nakaka-speechless ‘yung nangyari samin since nandiyan ‘yung mga ates namin na grumaduate, and meron po kasi kaming pinag-usapan na ibabalik po talaga namin ‘yung korona sa hanggang sa abot ng makakaya namin,” said the 17-year-old opposite spiker from Bataan.
Adamson’s standout performers in the losing effort included Season 87 Rookie of the Year Ellaine Gonzalvo, who tallied 12 points; MVP Sam Cantada, who added 10; and team captain Abby Segui, who contributed nine.
Navarro orchestrated the NUNS offense with five excellent sets, while Atasha Doroja anchored the defense with nine digs in the one-hour-and-36-minute match.
The Lady Bullpups endured just one loss all season, falling to the FEU-Diliman Lady Baby Tamaraws in the elimination round on September 22, 20-25, 25-19, 24-26, 19-25.
But in the Finals, NUNS showed why it remains a powerhouse program, reclaiming its throne and continuing its legacy in high school girls’ volleyball.
