Shaina Nitura is surely a generational talent, someone who can score 38 points a given night.

But University of the Philippine simply had the aces to spoil Nitura's historic performance for Adamson. It's one against an army.

The State U knew how to use the edge as it escaped the Lady Falcons, 25-15, 15-25, 24-26, 25-22,15-10, to snap its three-game slide in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament Sunday, March 16. 

Despite Nitura’s brilliant 38-point eruption that eclipsed the 35-point output of former collegiate stars Alyssa Valdez (2013) and Sisi Rondina (2019), the Fighting Maroons found ways to rise to the occasion.

And UP head coach Benson Bocboc was certain that it was their teamwork that played a huge role in their hard-fought victory.

“Siguro given na ‘yon si (Shaina) Nitura possible can score… pero with the UP team, tulong-tulong talaga, kasi ‘yon binabantayan namin sa kanila pag nawawala do’n sa plano,” Bocboc on outpacing Nitura’s explosion.

“Binabalik lang namin sila, kasi we need to work as a group, ‘di pe-pwedeng isa-isa, do’n sa kabila alam naman namin sya ‘yong makakapatay, kaya medyo naka-focus extra ‘yong defense sa kanya,” he added.

Nitura put up 35 kills and three aces while Althea Aposaga backed her up with 18 points. Those efforts, however, were not enough as the Maroons produced four players with 15 or more points.

Nina Ytang (20), Irah Jaboneta (19), Joan Monares (15), and Kianne Olango (15) all had significant contribution as the team improved to 3-4.

“Kasi teamwork po talaga ‘to, hindi po namin ‘to makukuha ‘yong panalo kung ‘di kami nagtulungan kaya sobrang proud po ako nakikita ko mga teammates ko ginagawa ‘yon,” said Ytang.

“It’s our goal talaga na manalo… it’s always teamwork, hindi naman kami mananalo kung isa-isa lang kami [kaya] dapat tulong-tulong, it feels good na nakapanalo kami,” added Monares.