Despite having a slim chance of making it to the Final Four, Adamson University has accepted that many factors need to align in its favor, some of which are beyond its control.
The Lady Falcons are now playing without the pressure of needing to secure wins, and this newfound freedom has led to more favorable results as their fate hangs in the balance.
On Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Adamson pulled off a stunning 25-23, 15-25, 28-26, 25-22 victory over defending champions National University in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament.
The win allowed them to avoid elimination and delivered one of the biggest upsets of the season.
Shaina Nitura once again delivered an outstanding performance, contributing 32 points with 30 spikes, two blocks, 10 digs, and six receptions. This time, her efforts were not in vain.
The 20-year-old Adamson High School product explained that a change in mindset fueled this surprising win against the Final Four-bound Lady Bulldogs.
“Ang sinabi na lang po talaga namin sa sarili namin na ‘Nothing to lose.’ Ano naman kung matalo kami? Big na nanalo kami pero dapat hindi na kami matakot. Pressure is not on us na dapat, sa kalaban namin, kasi wala na kaming hinahabol eh,” said the sensational rookie after the upset.
“Parang ito (pinky finger) na lang yung kapit namin sa Final Four, sila marami silang hinahabol so nagko-collect sila ng wins. Kami naman, sabi namin sa sarili namin na experience ito tapos much better kasi birthday ni Coach JP,” she continued.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
This victory improved Adamson’s record to 4-7, tying them with Ateneo de Manila University for sixth and seventh place. Although the Final Four is still within reach, Adamson’s fate is not entirely in their hands with only three games remaining.
Far Eastern University and University of Santo Tomas — currently in third and fourth place with records of 7-4 — could eliminate Adamson and Ateneo if either team wins just one of their remaining three matches.
“Sobrang laki po ng tulong na we’re playing with nothing to lose kasi ngayon para kaming naglalaro na lang sa ODL (one day league) na parang hayahay na lang, maglaro na lang kasi wala namang nawawala,” said Nitura, who’s having a historic rookie year.
“Palo lang nang palo, depensa lang nang depensa, block lang nang block, serve lang nang serve wala nang takot. Good result kasi hindi kami natakot and hindi kami pressured to win. Kung kailan pa kami hindi pressured to win, saka pa kami nanalo so we’re gonna keep it up.”
Her 32-point performance marked Nitura’s fourth 30-point game of the season. Her first was a 33-point outing against Ateneo, which resulted in a win. The next two, however, came in losses: a record-breaking 38 points in a loss to University of the Philippines and 36 points in a defeat to UST.
But for Nitura, those tough losses have helped both her and the team find their purpose.
“Sobrang nakatulong po yung past games namin na puro nga kami talo kasi pinapatibay talaga kami and mas nagugutom sa panalo na lagi kami china-challenge na ito lang ba talaga kami? o hahayaan ba namin na mag-continue ito?”
#WATCH: With no pressure on Adamson, Shaina Nitura scores 32 points to lead their stunning win over defending champion NU 🏐
📹 @ernesttuazon /Tiebreaker Times#UAAPSeason87 pic.twitter.com/IHo79V4KLg
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) April 6, 2025
