Sam Cantada of NUNS Lady Bullpups during the finals of the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball.–SSL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Sam Cantada won her second straight Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (SGVIL) championship, this time, with her new team National University Nazareth School (NUNS) Lady Bullpups.

A year after ruling the tournament with Shaina Nitura and Adamson, Cantada led the team she beat in the 2024 season, leading NUNS’ come-from-behind 27-25, 16-25, 21-25, 30-28, 15-13 win over Bacolod Tay Tung for its first-ever GVIL on Saturday at La Salle Greenhills.

READ: Fresh off Palaro title, NUNS Lady Bullpups continue winning ways

NUNS’ Sam Cantada and Denesse Daylisan after overcoming Bacolod Tay Tung. #ShakeysGVIL2025 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/0XtC5Vnbm2

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) June 7, 2025

Cantada, who won the tournament MVP and poured in 21 points in the winner-take-all, showed strong composure and proved that she can blend in with the Lady Bullpups, blocking out the outside noise of her shocking transfer to NU this semester.

“Siguro hinarap ko lang siya na hindi ko siya tinakasan. Hinayaan ko yung mga tao na madaming sinasabi sa kin. Wala rin naman kasi akong pakialam doon kasi nga po sa character ko, hindi naman nakakadefine kung ano pong sinasabi nila. Yung character ko is kay Lord lang po,” said Cantada.

Cantada won a Season 86 title with Nitura, ending the dynasty of NUNS. She led the Baby Falcons to the Season 87 finals last year during her MVP run before getting swept by the Lady Bullpups.

Winning back-to-back GVIL titles with Adamson and NUNS feels the same for Cantada.

“Same lang po yung nararamdaman ko siyempre po masaya po kasi nakakaramdam po ako ng champion pero kahit mas iniisip ko yung lapses ko para pag next game or tournament may maa-adjust pa ko,” she said.

READ: NUNS Lady Bullpups off to rousing Rising Stars start

Cantada joined hands with Denesse Daylisan to force a decider and deliver the school’s first GVIL crown after settling for runner-up and bronze in the past two years.

“Ang naging mindset ko talaga is kahit may times na na-down kami at hindi kami maka-side out po, ni-reremind sa amin lagi na huwag kaming magmadali. Kasi pagnagmamadali kami, lalo kami pinapabagal, lalo na pag hindi namin nasimulan sa pasa. Habang tumagal, na-overcome din namin ng maayos,” she said.

Cantada added the historic GVIL crown a week after ruling the 2025 Palarong Pambansa, representing NCR and beating the same team, carrying the Western Visayas squad.

“Yung mindset namin is pinu-push namin yung sarili namin. Sabi nga ni Sam, hindi kami maka-side out. Kumapit lang kami sa depensa at pasa namin. Tiwala lang talaga