AS it stands, Adamson sophomore skipper Shaina Nitura is on the precipice of a run that echoes one of the most iconic championships in UAAP history.
Back in Season 76, a once-up-and-coming talent named Alyssa Valdez was crowned MVP and powered Ateneo from the No. 3 seed all the way to the championship, carving out a generational feat that still stands as the gold standard.
READ: Shaina Nitura set for coronation as UAAP Season 88 MVP
The parallels to Nitura’s Season 88 run have been striking, and it all begins with finishing rank third behind 14-0 La Salle and two-time defending champion National U.
Then, just like now, the Lady Spikers swept the elimination round to earn a massive advantage: an automatic advance to the finals where they held a thrice-to-beat incentive.
A playoff for No. 4 also took place, with Far Eastern University once again ending up on the losing side, but that time, to the Lady Falcons.
Phenomenal title run
Not long after, Valdez and Ateneo swept Mylene Paat-led Adamson in the opening phase of the stepladder before moving up to meet the Lady Bulldogs powered by Santiago sisters Jaja and Dindin.
Despite being blanked by the blue-and-gold in the elims, the Blue Eagles (nee, Lady Eagles) flipped the script when it mattered most, beating NU back-to-back times to book a ticket to the finals.
Come the championship round, though, what stood in front of the blue-and-white was a disadvantage once thought insurmountable.
Ateneo had to beat La Salle thrice, while its archrival needed just two wins to hoist the trophy.
Still, Valdez didn’t blink - not as her historic run for the ages was about to hit its peak.
The two teams split the first two games until the Blue Eagles came out on top in a classic five-setter in Game 3 then followed that up with a statement sweep in Game 4.
Impossible became possible. Ateneo was a champion for the first time in women's volleyball.
And it was the 'Phenom' who made it all happen.
Now, more than a decade later, Nitura finds herself staring at a similar path. Only this time, it's University of Santo Tomas first. Then the Lady Bulldogs. And yet again, the Lady Spikers right there at the summit.
History teaches a lesson that it can be done. Can Adamson put it into practice?
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