Former HS teammates Cantada, Nitura face off for UAAP volleyball early lead

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SHAINA NITURA — UAAP

SAM CANTADA — UAAP

Games on Wednesday
(UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena)
9 a.m. – AdU vs. NU (Men)
11 a.m. – AdU vs. NU (Women)
3 p.m. – UE vs. FEU (Men)
5 p.m. – UE vs. FEU (Women)

RISING STARS Sam Cantada and Shaina Nitura offer a glimpse of Philippine volleyball’s future as reigning champion National University (NU) takes on Adamson in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament on Wednesday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

Game time is 11 a.m. for the first encounter between former junior teammates with an early lead at stake following their big wins in the opener last weekend.

Super rookie Ms. Cantada is out to follow up on her impressive debut for NU in a triumphant start to its post-Bella Belen era against last year’s record-breaking Rookie of the Year Ms. Nitura and Adamson, her former team in high school (HS) play.

Ms. Cantada was a UAAP juniors MVP for the Lady Baby Falcons in UAAP Season 87, keeping the MVP crown in San Marcelino after Ms. Nitura won it in Season 86 as Adamson completed a 14-0 tournament sweep.

They now spike from different ends of the court as Ms. Cantada took a U-turn to Jhocson to suit up for NU in collegiate play, having been tasked to extend the Lady Bulldogs dynasty to a three-peat without their championship core of Ms. Belen, Alyssa Solomon, Sheena Toring and Erin Pangilinan.

“Siyempre po ‘yun nga po kalaban po… kilala ko po ‘yan, ‘yung ugali nila pero siyempre hindi rin po kami papayag. Gagawin din po namin ‘yung best namin palagi,” said Ms. Cantada, who fired 21 points in NU’s tough debut against Santo Tomas, 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 26-24.

The Lady Falcons had an easier debut, clipping the wings of the Ateneo Blue Eagles with a 25-19, 25-18, 25-10, in only 79 minutes of play marked by a whopping 16-1 run in the third set.

Adamson hardly needed an eruption from Ms. Nitura in that match as she only had 16 points. Against her former winger Ms. Cantada and the Lady Bulldogs also featuring team captain Vange Alinsug though, Ms. Nitura has to pour everything she can with a helping hand in coverage from Frances Mordi.

“’Yun nga, sabi nga namin since then, back in high school, that’s the plan already — to compete in college. Nagbabaka-sakali kami na mai-angat ‘yung chemistry na nabubuo namin ‘nung high school up to college so let’s see kung paano po kami makakabuo ng chemistry and history through our people na pinrovide po sa amin ni God,” said Ms. Nitura.

Meanwhile, Far Eastern University (FEU) and University of the East (EU) shoot for a first win at 5 p.m. after bowing to La Salle and the retooled University of the Philippines, respectively.

The Lady Tamaraws folded to the Lady Spikers, 25-19, 25-14, 27-25, while the Lady Warriors absorbed a 25-12, 25-9, 21-25, 25-19 defeat to the Fighting Maroons last weekend.

On the men’s side, NU and Adamson also clash for the early lead at 9 a.m. while FEU eyes the same against UE at 3 p.m. — John Bryan Ulanday