ALL things considered, National University still proved to be contenders in the UAAP women’s volleyball landscape.
After all the chatter around the departures of their tried and tested 1-2 punch in Alyssa Solomon and Bella Belen, the jury was still out on whether or not the Lady Bulldogs can replicate the same succes.
And not only did they quell the doubts, but according to their super rookie Sam Cantada, it was more than enough of a testament to their resilience.
READ: Bella after NU gets dethroned: 'Sana nag-one more year ako'
“I mean, alam namin sa sarili namin na kaya po namin,” Cantada said after their game two loss to La Salle. “Pero sa dami naming pinagdaanan, malaking bagay na din po talaga na nakaabot kami sa finals.“
Heading into Season 88, not only did they undergo major changes with a new shotcaller at the helm in Regine Diego, they also had to rely more on Season 87 Finals MVP Vange Alinsug to take the lead while expecting Cantada to do some major lifting as well. .
Safe to say, Cantada proved to be up to the task, totaling 197 points throughout the eliminations and 66.786 statistical points to run away with the Rookie of the Year award.
Unfortunately, after rising in the stepladder Final Four to once again stand as the gatekeepers of the championship, the 5-foot-7 struggled to replicate same potent scoring that solidified their contender status throughout the season.
In their two straight-set sweeps against the redemption-seeking Lady Spikers, Cantada was pacified to just two points in the first game, followed by eight in the deciding match on Saturday.
And not only did the Dasmariñas native acknowledge that those productions weren’t up to par—especially compared to her predecessors who were known playoff risers—but that the experience of going up against the likes of Angel Canino would greatly help her in developing a dominant postseason form of her own.
“Syempre po grateful din po talaga ako na magkaroon ng kalaban na ganyan, na may experience na. Mapupulot ko rin po talaga sa kanila kung gaano sila katapang, kung gaano nila kagusto talaga yung game.”
“Dadalhin namin ito. Kasi nilaban po talaga namin. Sobrang dami po namin napagdaanan. Next season po, siyempre, pagtatrabahuan po talaga namin, yun po talaga ang pinaka [goal].”
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