SHAINA BRIGHT

Shaina Nitura now owns the UAAP women’s volleyball scoring record. —PHOTOS FROM UAAP MEDIA

By the time she scored her 313th point in Season 87, Shaina Nitura made it official: UAAP women’s volleyball has never seen a talent like her.

That point made her the record holder for most points in a season for a women’s volleyball player, beating the record of a former college star who was supposed to be this generation’s arriving-only-once star, Alyssa Valdez.

Nitura had three games to break the former Ateneo phenom’s record. She did it with two games to spare.

Even she wondered what overcame her on Saturday.

“I don’t know … Even I didn’t feel like myself earlier,” the rookie ace said after unloading 37 points in Adamson’s 14-25, 29-27, 25-22, 25-22 upset over the semifinal-chasing Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws.

Nitura rising high for a kill is a familiar sight in Adamson games.

“I felt like I didn’t have my game [before the start]. [Then] I felt like I needed to push myself because I saw my teammates’ desire to win,” Nitura added after making things harder for FEU, which slid down to the No. 4 spot after suffering a fifth loss in 13 games.

The Lady Falcons were out of the running for a Final Four slot even before facing the Lady Tamaraws. They marched into the court through the same hallway that the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses exited after shutting the door on Adamson’s bid with a victory over University of the East in the earlier game.

Still, Nitura refused to play the game like it was a no-bearing one.

“I [couldn’t play like] all was lost because if I did, I will be bringing my teammates down with me,” Nitura said. “I really had to push myself to wake up. I really didn’t expect [to break the record] and I didn’t do anything different [today to accomplish it].”

With that third straight 30-point game carved out of 31 kills, five blocks and an ace, she upped her season total to 314 points, the last of which sealed the upset of FEU. She can add to that record total in the next two games.

The Adamson ace had already broken the rookie scoring record in her debut with 33 points in a five-setter against Ateneo before claiming the single-game scoring record from Valdez and former Santo Tomas weapon Sisi Rondina with 38 points in a losing stand against dark horse University of the Philippines.

She also has the most 30-point games this season with five.

“I don’t know what to feel [about surpassing Valdez again] because for me, it’s just a bonus,” she said. “I am thankful to the Lord that I am given these opportunities and in that way, good things are still happening to me for my future … but I am the happiest when the team is winning.”

Building on a lackluster seventh-place finish last season with only three wins to show, Adamson’s season didn’t quite pan out the way it wanted to again.

Better finish

Even with stellar performances from Nitura, the Lady Falcons saw their semifinal hopes go up in smoke, following winless University of the East and Ateneo, once a powerhouse program during the days of Valdez, out of the running.

It did, however, improve on its finish from last season no matter how it fares in its remaining games against No. 2 La Salle and the Fighting Maroons, whose fates are no longer in their hands.

“We’re just so grateful for what’s happening to us,” Mayang Nuique, one of the senior members of Adamson, said despite the early exit. “Even if we didn’t reach the Final Four, one of our goals is to improve our standing from last season … This season will be a boost for them in the [coming years].”

There’s a lot yet to improve on for the Falcons’ program, but Nitura’s arrival only indicates that better things are on the horizon for Adamson.

“We’ll never know how the [season] will end, but for us, we’re just gonna push and trust in God’s plan,” Nitura said. “I haven’t proven anything yet. I am just starting. Nothing to say about anything or anyone else. What I just want to focus on is to try to improve what we achieve per season.”

And that should serve as a warning to the rest of the field.

“No promises. But hope is there. Hope is up. We believe that God has a plan [for us] in our last two games, but I don’t want to make a promise. [W]e’re gonna try but … no promises,” Nitura said.