Adamson ace rookie Shaina Nitura once again made headlines over the weekend after she shattered the UAAP single-game record for most points scored in a women’s volleyball game, finishing with 38 points in a five-set loss to the UP Fighting Maroons at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Though not enough to snap Adamson’s losing spell, which is now at four games midway through Season 87, it cannot be denied that Nitura has established herself among the best of the best to ever play in UAAP women’s volleyball, even if she's just played one round to her senior career.
As the league prepares to begin its second round on Wednesday, March 19, let’s take a look at some of the highest-scoring games in UAAP women’s volleyball history.
1. 38 points - Shaina Nitura (Season 87 - March 16, 2025)
Shaina Nitura reaffirmed her position as one of the best to ever play in the UAAP, following up on her explosive 33-point debut in Season 87 with a record-busting 38 points in Adamson’s 5-set loss to the UP Fighting Maroons to end the first round.
Eager to break Adamson out of their mid-season losing slump, Nitura did all she could in five sets but fell just painstakingly short.
At the start of the winner-take-all set against UP, Nitura quickly matched her career-high 33 points with an attack point to put Adamson up, 1-0, in set 5.
She scored her last point of the match as Adamson tried to get within two late, 10-12, before the Fighting Maroons ended the game on a 3-0 run.
2. 35 points - Alyssa Valdez (Season 75 - January 20, 2013); Sisi Rondina (Season 81 - March 20, 2019)
Much like Nitura’s 38 points that came in a loss, the previous record of 35 points held by Alyssa Valdez and Sisi Rondina also came in heartbreaks for the Ateneo Blue Eagles and the UST Golden Tigresses, respectively.
Valdez achieved her career high in the UAAP back in January 20, 2013 when she exploded for a then-new record against the Adamson Lady Falcons with 35 points in a five set loss, 22-25, 21-25, 25-19, 25-16, 10-15, to start the second round of Season 75.
Valdez was a sophomore that year and she hammered 31 attacks off of 80 attempts to go along with three blocks, and an ace to finish the 35-point flurry.
Some six years later, Rondina matched Valdez for the record, as the UST dynamo’s performance went down the drain in a reverse sweep against the Blue Eagles then-led by Maddie Madayag and Bea de Leon.
Rondina, whose Golden Tigresses were also opening the second round of the season, fell to Ateneo in five sets, 25-19, 25-22, 25-27, 22-25, 11-15.
3. 34 points - Alyssa Valdez (Season 78 - April 28, 2016); Alyssa Solomon (Season 85 - May 14, 2023)
High-scoring games in the UAAP aren’t just reserved for the elimination round, as Alyssa Valdez and Alyssa Solomon have also achieved great offensive performances in the Finals.
For Valdez, she was able to tow the Ateneo Blue Eagles into a winner-take-all Game 3 against the DLSU Lady Spikers in UAAP Season 78, when she uncorked 34 points in Game 2 back in April 28, 2016.
Faced against a DLSU squad bannered by eventual Finals MVP Kim Kianna Dy, Valdez soared just one point short of her career-high to give Ateneo the thrilling win, 18-25, 26-28, 25-17, 25-16, 15-11, in front of more than 20,000 fans inside the Mall of Asia Arena.
Meanwhile, the Lady Spikers were once again the tormentors in another high-scoring game as Solomon’s own 34-point performance came in Game 2 of the Finals in UAAP Season 85.
Unlike Valdez, Solomon could not help her NU Lady Bulldogs force La Salle into a deciding Game 3 on May 14, 2023, as Rookie-MVP Angel Canino and the Lady Spikers survived Solomon’s outburst for the reverse sweep victory, 25-19, 25-23, 15-25, 17-25, 10-15.
Though both Valdez and Solomon were unable to get the crowns for either of their teams that year, there was no doubting their individual skills as they were tested in the highest of levels of the UAAP.
4. 33 points - Angela Benting (Season 71 - February 14, 2009); Shaina Nitura (Season 87 - February 16, 2025)
Though Adamson has yet to win a title in UAAP women’s volleyball, there have surely been elite-level talents in San Marcelino. Before Nitura herself caught fire in the taraflex this season, there was also Angela Benting’s own 33-point game way back during Valentine’s Day in 2009.
Faced with an all-important battle for a Final four spot, Benting soared over the UST Golden Tigresses as they jockeyed for position heading into the semis in UAAP Season 71.
Benting set an all-time record in scoring at that time with her 33 points, but it was unfortunately not enough as the Lady Falcons bowed to UST, 25-22, 16-25, 25-27, 23-25 at what was then known as The Arena in San Juan.
The 33-point performance from Benting was a much needed boost for the Lady Falcons who were also facing another offensive powerhouse on the other end in the form of Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, who scored 30 points in that specific matchup.
Despite getting into the Final Four, Benting and the Lady Falcons were unable to reach the Finals as it was FEU and La Salle who collided for the crown that year, with the Lady Spikers claiming the victory bannered by Manilla Santos-Ng.
It would take 16 years before Nitura matched Benting’s output when she made her rookie debut for the Lady Falcons.
Going up against the Ateneo Blue Eagles, Nitura ushered in her collegiate debut with a five-set victory over the Katipunan team, 21-25, 20-25, 25-12, 25-15, 15-12, at the Mall of Asia Arena in UAAP Season 87.
5. 32 points - Aiza Maizo-Pontillas (Season 73 - November 27, 2010); Tots Carlos (Season 80 - February 28, 2018)
UST opened its bid in UAAP Season 73 with a bang as Aiza Maizo-Pontillas unleashed her career-high in collegiate volleyball on November 27, 2010, scoring 32 points in a five-set thriller over the Fab Five-led Ateneo Blue Eagles, 25-13, 18-25, 19-25, 26-24, 15-13.
Maizo-Pontillas, coming off of a title run the year before, started in all five sets against Alyssa Valdez and company, firing off 29 attack points and three kill blocks.
Her closest support in scoring was Maru Banaticla who finished with 12 markers.
Despite UST’s big game to start the year, the Golden Tigresses would eventually relinquish the crown to the DLSU Lady Spikers that season.
Last on the list is UP’s Tots Carlos, where, before she was leading the helm for the Creamline Cool Smashers in the PVL, she was the Fighting Maroons’ anchor on offense.
Two years since qualifying for the Final Four, Carlos took the team on her back as she powered UP to a four-set win over Rondina’s UST, 31-33, 25-23, 25-16, 25-12, to snap a 4-game losing skid.
Then a third-year player for the Fighting Maroons, Carlos showed promise for UP, whom she helped reach the semis in her rookie year.
But for the second straight year, the Fighting Maroons would fall short of a spot in the Final Four.
Honorable mention:
1. 55 points - Marck Espejo (Season 80 - April 21, 2018)
This is a listicle on women’s volleyball, but it would be a crime to fail to mention Marck Espejo’s 55-point explosion for the Ateneo Blue Eagles back in UAAP Season 80.
Last April 21, 2018, Espejo almost singlehandedly helped Ateneo beat FEU in a thrilling five setter, 18-25, 25-13, 24-26, 25-23, 15-9, in Game 1 of the semifinals at the Mall of Asia Arena.
By himself, Espejo outscored FEU in attack points, 47-46, to power the Blue Eagles against a twice-to-beat disadvantage.
Though ultimately falling short of the title thanks to Bryan Bagunas and the NU Bulldogs, Espejo’s scoring outburst remains the highest scoring output of a player in a single game in the UAAP — whether in the men’s or women’s division.