MANILA, Philippines–With their campaign on the brink, Adamson dug deep and then delivered its biggest win yet in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament on Sunday night.

Behind a monster outing from rookie captain Shaina Nitura, the Lady Falcons pulled off a shocking 25-23, 15-25, 28-26, 25-22 upset of defending champion National University at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“We know the team’s capability and that’s what we focused on,” said Adamson coach JP Yude after the victory that kept his team in Final Four contention.

READ: UAAP: Angge Poyos, Shaina Nitura duel anew in UST win over Adamson

Nitura exploded for 32 points—her fourth 30-point game this season—as the Lady Falcons took full advantage of the absence of NU star Alyssa Solomon, who was shelved due to an ankle sprain.

Adamson improved to 4-7 win-loss for sixth place, just behind University of the Philippines (5-6), and still very much in the mix for a semifinal berth with three games left.

The Lady Bulldogs, already assured of a spot in the Final Four, dropped to 9-2.

Adamson next faces Far Eastern University, one of the teams jockeying for position in the top four alongside La Salle, NU, and University of Santo Tomas.