Photo: UAAP

By Nate Castillo

Rookie Sam Cantada delivered down the stretch to tow three-peat-seeking National University to a thrilling 25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 26-24, escape over University of Santo Tomas in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 women’s volleyball tournament Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The prized recruit scored seven of the Lady Bulldogs’ closing 10-4 run for a rousing start in their title-retention bid post-Bella Belen era.

Cantada unleashed 21 points on 17 kills, three aces and a kill block to go with 14 excellent receptions and five digs for NU.

Photo: UAAP

“We have a goal. We are the defending champion we don’t have anything to prove but to give our best ever game, that’s already OK for us. Win or lose we know we’ll learn a lot for our next games,” the Season 87 high school Most Valuable Player recruit from Adamson University said.

Photo: UAAP

Skipper Vange Alinsug had 18 markers while Arah Panique added 15 markers for NU.

Down, 23-19, in the fourth set Cantada racked three straight points including back-to-back aces followed by a kill by Alinsug before another service winner from the freshman gave NU a 24-23 matchpoint advantage.

Angge Poyos saved a point for the Golden Tigresses before Alinsug pushed the Lady Bulldogs on top. Poyos surrendered the game by overcooking her kill.

NU tried to salvage the third set after falling to a 23-17 hole, mounting a 5-0 run to close within one. Avril Bron scored off a kill block to bring UST to set point. Myrtle Escanlar saved a point but Xyza Gula stopped the Lady Bulldogs from forcing a deuce with a through a block kill.

Poyos had 18 points while Bron, Gula and Julia Balingit had 10 each for the Tigresses.