BY Gwen Bergado
ADAMSON took flight to open the UAAP Season 87 women's volleyball tournament in the most thrilling manner possible, battling back then bringing down Ateneo through a reverse-sweep.
READ: Shaina Nitura, Adamson rookies star in reverse sweep of Ateneo
Hanging on for dear life after dropping the first two sets, it was the Lady Falcons' rookies who stepped up and saved the day.
Just as expected, former juniors MVP Shaina Nitura made an immediate impact with a record-breaking 33 points built on 28 attacks, four blocks, and an ace.
READ: How playing goggles helped Adamson's Shaina Nitura reset rookie scoring record
It wasn't just the do-it-all 20 year old, however.
San Marcelino also got introduced to even more new heroes in the form of Nigerian Frances Mordi and Fhei Sagaysay.
We want Mor(di)!
“At first, I was so nervous because it was my first time playing (in the UAAP), but the crowd kept me going,” said Mordi, the white-and-blue's debuting foreign student-athlete.
The power spiker sure didn't look nervous, though, as she wound up being Adamson's second-best scorer with 23 points.
Alongside the hyped up crowd, Mordi shared she kept getting energized by Nitura who led her team both in words during huddles and in action through eye-popping plays and tireless effort.
“She’s good, she’s cool. She keeps encouraging me sa likod. She likes tagging everyone along,” she said after collecting 16 attacks, five blocks, and two aces.
Rounding out the Lady Falcons' was Sagaysay, the best setter in the high school division now taking her and Nitura's championship-winning combo to the collegiate level.
Without a doubt, their connection extends from juniors to seniors, as she tallied 10 excellent sets, while also contributing five points.
Nitura as the skipper - and now, record-setting rookie scorer - will stand at the forefront of Adamson's hoped-for resurgence.
Even better for the Lady Falcons, right behind her are fellow neophytes raring to make waves belying their age.
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