A lot of talent departed Adamson after the last season of the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament which made it look like the Soaring Falcons won’t matter much this year.

But they had one talent coming in who seems to have changed all that.

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Prized rookie Shaina Nitura took over at the crunch on Sunday in a record-setting performance that helped carry the Falcons in scoring a 21-25, 20-25, 25-12, 25-15, 15-12 reverse sweep of Ateneo as she and Adamson debuted in style at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

“Personally, I am not looking forward to anything [personal] like [resetting records], it’s just a bonus to achieve those,” Nitura said in Filipino after finishing with 33 points in the tone-setting victory that also announced who the queen Falcon will be. Her output reset the rookie scoring record of 31 points Angge Poyos of University of Santo Tomas had last year.

“[But] I am thankful of course. Praise the Lord, but the season just started,” said Nitura, the season and Finals MVP last year. “We want more for the team, not individually. Now that we tasted a first victory, we’re gonna be hungry for more.”

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Last year, Nitura led the Lady Baby Falcons to an outright Finals berth with a perfect 14-0 elimination round sweep before helping Adamson dethrone National University-Nazareth School in the title bout.

Sorry 86th Season

While that was happening last year, the Falcons were sorry sights in compiling a 3-11 record to finish seventh. That team was headed by Lucille Almonte, Ishie Lalongisip, Karen Verdeflor, AA Adolfo, Angge Alcantara, and Shar Ancheta, who are all now playing professionally in the PVL.

But with Nitura and another freshman in Nigerian Frances Mordi, things are looking brighter for Adamson.

“I am grateful because the young ones have a lot of talent, so even if we lost a lot last year, there will be new names to fill in the gap,” coach JP Yude said. “They are not only talented but also decisive with how they respond to challenges and every situation that the team faces.

“I am always teaching them to always be humble even if we have these talents given by God,” he said. “They also need to always be hungry for more, so that we can develop these talents and gifts to the best version.”

Ateneo looked ready to wrap things up early by winning the first two sets until Nitura and Mordi thwarted all of that.

Mordi also shone in her debut with 23 points from 16 attacks. She also had five blocks and a pair of aces.

“[Coming into this game] I felt jitters [until the third set],” Nitura said. “I just faced the nervousness.”

Nitura also knows where all of that—talent and composure—are coming from.

“Thank You, Lord, because you gave me talent,” she said. “But we won’t stop at this achievement because I know that I can do more. And I can do better in the next games.” INQ