A new champion will be crowned this season after streaking National University Nazareth School (NUNS) dethroned Adamson University, 25-13, 25-22, to secure a semifinals seat in the 2025 Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (SGVIL) Rising Stars Cup Division 1 Thursday at the La Salle Green Hills Gym.

The unbeaten Lady Bullpups charged back from six points down in the second set to finish off the Lady Baby Falcons in the knockout quarterfinals for their fifth straight win and a step closer to claiming a breakthrough title in the country’s biggest grassroots volleyball league backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner and R and B Milk Tea.

Reigning University Athletic Association of the Philippine MVP Sam Cantada punished her former team with nine points, including five in the second frame, as the recently crowned Palarong Pambansa champion NUNS stamped its class over its UAAP Season 87 finals victim.

“There’s pressure, of course, I went up against my former team. Good thing, I was able to overcome and handle the pressure,” said Cantada, who led Adamson to runner-up finish before transferring to NUNS.

The Lady Bullpups trailed, 16-10, before sparking a 9-3 run capped by a Cantanda service winner to knot the second frame at 19. Lhouriz Tudao gave the Lady Baby Falcons their last taste of the lead, 21-20. Tudao’s costly service error in the next play ignited a 5-1 closing blitz for NUNS sealed by a Jenelyn Jacob shutdown against Ellaine Gonzalvo.

Jacob and Harlyn Serneche scored seven points each for the Lady Bullpups, who will take on undefeated Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) in the knockout best-of-five sets Final Four on Friday.

The Lady Brigadiers defeated King’s Montessori School, 25-22, 25-16, to earn a semis spot.

Angel Joy Perez fired 17 points anchored on 15 attacks and two aces while Hanameel Saplot backed her up with nine markers as EAC remained unblemished after five games in the tournament backed by Mikasa, Asics, Team Rebel Sports, Belo Deo and Smart.

Meanwhile, Bacolod Tay Tung survived feisty Far Eastern University-Diliman, 25-22, 27-25, to book a semis ticket and stay unblemished after five starts.

The Palarong Pambansa runner-up will face De La Salle-Lipa in the Final Four.

Feliss Sumague and Kyle Aldovino showed the way in the Green Stallions’ upset over erstwhile unbeaten Arellano University, 25-23, 17-25, 25-19.