Scoring 34 points or more in a UAAP women’s volleyball game is a rare feat — so rare that it’s happened only five times in league history.
Yet despite such jaw-dropping performances, these scoring explosions have often ended in heartbreak, proving that volleyball is more than just about individual brilliance — it’s a team effort through and through.
Prior to this season, only the likes of Ateneo de Manila University legend Alyssa Valdez, University of Santo Tomas great Sisi Rondina, and National University hitter Alyssa Solomon had cemented their status as elite scorers in the UAAP by tallying 34 points or more.
Enter Shaina Nitura, a rookie standout from Adamson University. She reset the mark for most points scored in a UAAP women’s volleyball game with 38 points on 35 attacks and three aces.
Coincidentally, among these five records, four of them have ended in frustration and heartbreak, proving the importance of teamwork and camaraderie in a competitive eight-team field in the UAAP.
Nitura sets scoring record in Adamson’s loss
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Shaina Nitura is just seven games into her UAAP collegiate volleyball career, but her most historic feat ended in disappointment.
Her 38-point explosion was marred by the Lady Falcons’ 15-25, 25-15, 26-24, 22-25, 10-15 loss to conclude their first-round campaign.
Nitura’s outstanding performance allowed her to surpass the previous 35-point records held by Valdez and Rondina.
The Season 86 Girls’ Volleyball MVP looked visibly frustrated as Adamson skidded to their fourth consecutive defeat for a 2-5 card at sixth place, now moving a game behind UP (3-4) for fifth place.
Nitura, a 20-year-old volleyball star from Cainta, Rizal, politely declined to entertain questions from the media about her historic night, following the instructions from head coach JP Yude, who disallowed her from answering.
For the Fighting Maroons’ part, however, first-year head coach Benson Bocboc felt relieved to weather the storm of Nitura’s scoring explosion, largely thanks to the terrific teamwork and a well-balanced attack displayed by UP.
In the win, the Fighting Maroons had four double-digit scorers in Nina Ytang (20), Irah Jaboneta 19), and Kianne Olango and Joan Monares (15 each), while Nitura only received support from one double-digit scorer in Barbie Jamili’s 18-point effort.
“Ako, personally, hindi ko na inisip yung score ko or kung ano yung nagawa po sa game. Parang andoon lang yung talagang gusto manalo. So parang, hindi na siya pumapasok na kailangan ganito yung score ko, parang it’s more on kailangan makapuntos ako para makatulong sa team and para makapanalo,” Jaboneta said, who delivered 19 points, 12 excellent digs, and 11 excellent receptions in the victory.
“Pero yun nga, parang fulfilling talaga kasi yun nga, nagbubunga yung pinaghihirapan namin kasi every game natututo and umaangat din po yung laro namin individually and as a team po.”
Rondina posts 35 points in loss to Ateneo
Sisi Rondina previously matched the erstwhile-UAAP scoring record of 35 points set by Valdez, but this historic feat also concluded in vain.
The Golden Tigresses suffered a 19-25, 22-25, 27-25, 25-22, 15-11 reverse sweep defeat to the Blue Eagles in their Season 81 second round opener last March 20, 2019.
The shocking loss was largely in part to Ateneo middle blocker Maddie Madayag, who also had a historic night of her own by finishing with 23 points from 11 attacks, a league-record 11 blocks, and an ace.
Down 10-13 in the fifth set, Rondina tallied her 35th point with an off-the-block hit, but she committed two consecutive — and costly — errors that let Ateneo escape and complete the come-from-behind triumph.
The win allowed the Blue Eagles to remain on top of the standings with a 7-1 record, while the Golden Tigresses fell to a 5-3 slate at that time. These two teams eventually met in the Season 81 Finals, with Ateneo defeating UST in a three-game championship showdown.
Valdez tallies 35 points but Ateneo falters to Adamson
Valdez tried to will the Blue Eagles over the Lady Falcons, but the duo of Pau Soriano and Sheila Pineda shined in the clutch as Adamson took down Ateneo with a 25-21, 25-22, 19-25, 16-25, 15-10 beating in the UAAP Season 75 Women’s Volleyball Tournament last January 20, 2013.
Dubbed as ‘The Phenom,’ Valdez did everything she could to power the reverse sweep aspirations of the Blue Eagles, but Soriano and Pineda combined for the last three points of the Lady Falcons to seal the win.
With the feat, Valdez was able to surpass the previous record of 33 points set by Angela Benting in a four-set loss to UST last February 14, 2009.
Valdez erupts for 34 points to force winner-take-all for Season 78 title
With Ateneo’s championship aspirations hanging by a thread, the three-time UAAP MVP in Valdez fired out 34 points to rally the Blue Eagles past a 0-2 deficit to force a winner-take-all Game 3 for the Season 78 Women’s Volleyball championship on April 28, 2016.
While the Lady Spikers eventually claimed the Season 78 title, Valdez’s heroics would not be forgotten as she extended her UAAP career to one more decisive game with everything on the line.
After such a dominant performance to keep Ateneo’s season alive, former teammate Amy Ahomiro dubbed Valdez as the ‘Michael Jordan’ of Philippine collegiate volleyball at that time.
Out of these five historic feats, this was the only one to not end in heartbreak and bitter disappointment — at least, for that game.
Solomon’s 34-point effort not enough as La Salle sweeps way to Season 85 title
Solomon replicated the best UAAP women’s volleyball Finals scoring feat, but it proved not enough to save NU from being swept by Season 85 champion De La Salle University.
The NUNS Lady Bullpup alum poured out everything she could with 34 points, tying Valdez’s Finals scoring record when she lifted Ateneo to beat La Salle in five sets in Game 2 of the Season 78 Finals.
Even such a commanding performance was not enough as the Lady Bulldogs blew a two-set lead and succumbed to the Angel Canino-led Lady Spikers en route to a 25-19, 25-23, 15-25, 17-25, 10-15 defeat on May 16, 2023.
The loss proved to be more heartbreaking for Solomon as she failed to give a fitting farewell to senior players Joyme Cagande, Princess Robles, and Jennifer Nierva at that time.
If there’s one thing that these historic feats have taught fans and players across the nation, it is to emphasize the importance of teamwork in an all-around effort sport like volleyball.
Such a dominant scoring explosion may be pivotal to a team’s success in a match, but each dig, reception, set, and point from all 16 players across a UAAP squad can make the biggest difference in either a no-bearing match or a thrilling Finals showdown.
This trend proves that volleyball is a team sport.
