NU-Nazareth School Lady Bullpups win the UAAP Season 87 high school girls’ volleyball crown. –UAAP PHOTO
After ceding the title last season, National University Nazareth School ensured redemption in dominant fashion.
The Lady Bullpups reclaimed the UAAP Season 87 high school girls’ volleyball crown after dethroning Adamson Baby Lady Falcons with a commanding 33-31, 25-19, 25-17 victory on Saturday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena in Manila.
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NUNS also took Game 1 in straight sets, 25-16, 25-21, 25-13.
READ: NU-Nazareth School retains UAAP girls’ volleyball crown
This championship marks NUNS’ seventh overall, making them the second-winningest team in the tournament’s history, behind La Salle Zobel’s 10 titles.
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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 the team’s composition, the changes happened quite quickly. So, it’s gratifying to see that everyone was able to adjust, even myself as a coach since this is my first time heading a high school team,” said Lady Bullpups head coach Karl Dimaculangan.
“Our hard work paid off,” he added. Dimaculangan was also the head coach of the Lady Bulldogs during their Season 84 title run, which ended a 65-year championship drought.
READ: NU volleyball programs basks in rare feat of UAAP golden double
Daylisan was the top scorer for NUNS, recording 18 points on 17 kills and an ace. Diza Berayo added 11 points, and Serneche 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.
“Of course, what happened leaves me speechless, especially since our older teammates have already graduated,” said the 17-year-old opposite spiker from Bataan.
“We talked about it as a team, and we promised to bring the crown back as much as we possibly could,” she added.
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.
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The Lady Bullpups endured just one loss during the elimination round, falling to the FEU-Diliman Lady Baby Tamaraws on September 22, 20-25, 25-19, 24-26, 19-25.
