Games today: (University of Southeastern Philippines Gym)
3:30 p.m. — UP vs Notre Dame of Dadiangas University
6 p.m. — NU vs Davao Selection
DAVAO CITY — Repeat-seeking National University flexed its firepower to overwhelm Notre Dame of Dadiangas University for a quick 25-19, 25-13, 25-19 opening day victory in the 2025 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) National Invitationals Davao Leg on Friday, Aug. 1, at the University of Southeastern Philippines Gym here.
Rookie Sam Cantada made quite an impression in her first game as a Lady Bulldog, igniting the reigning back-to-back UAAP champions’ torrid hitting to repulse the Lady Kingfishers in just one hour and 26 minutes.
Cantada, who led the NU Nazareth school in claiming the 2025 Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League two months ago, pumped in all but one of her seven points on attacks in just two sets of action in the tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner and R and B Milk Tea.
The SGVIL Most Valuable Player accounted for six of the Lady Bulldogs’ 45 attack points.
Another NU freshman, Denesse Daylisan, made her presence felt as the Matina, Davao City pride, finished with six points for the rebuilding NU squad that saw the departure of key players led by three-time UAAP MVP Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon after the last UAAP season.
“Good game naman sila and ‘yung mga ini-expect namin na lumabas ay lumabas naman. Yung mga adjustments, kailangan talaga namin yun kasi kababalik lang namin pero intact pa naman,” said Lady Bulldogs assistant coach Alvin Dumalaog.
Kaye Bombita had 10 markers, Arah Panique added eight, Chams Maaya chipped in seven, skipper Vange Alinsug got six points while veteran setter Lams Lamina tallied nine excellent sets for NU.
The Lady Bulldogs broke free from a 3-3 deadlock in the third set with a telling 6-1 run to take a five-point advantage but the General Santos City-based NDDU gave a stiff resistance to remain within striking distance behind the efforts of Ruzzel Barong and Karylle Baclaan.
Cantada and Bombita gave NU a 23-17 lead before the Lady Kingfishers answered with two straight points to close the gap. Bombita finished off NDDU with a hit and a kill block off Rhose Capili’s spike attempt.
Barong produced eight points while Baclaan had seven in a losing effort for the Kingfishers.
The Lady Bulldogs will take on a crack Davao Selection, which is still playing University of the Philippines as of press time, on Saturday in Day 2 of the tournament, which has Asics, Mikasa, Smart Sports, F2 Logistics, Team Rebel Sports, Belo Deo, SM Tickets and PusoP.com as technical partners.
NDDU will test the mettle of the Fighting Maroons for its next assignment.
Games are available live and on-demand via PusoP.com and Solar Sports.
