NATIONAL University Nazareth School and Bacolod Tay Tung set up a dream winner-take-all championship match after sweeping their respective rivals in the 2025 Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (SGVIL) Rising Stars Cup Division 1 semifinal Friday at the La Salle Green Hills Gym.

The Lady Bullpups earned a breakthrough gold medal match appearance after an emphatic sweep of Emilio Aguinaldo College, 25-16, 25-15, 25-11, while the Thunderbolts secured another crack at the title with a 25-20, 25-15, 25-18, dismantling of De La Salle-Lipa.

The protagonists of the recently concluded Ilocos Norte Palarong Pambansa will fight for all the marbles 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 on Saturday.

Sam Cantada’s scoring prowess was on full display as the reigning UAAP MVP erupted for a game-high 20 points to bring NUNS closer to adding the SGVIL crown to its collection following its UAAP and Palarong Pambansa conquests.

Harlyn Serneche posted 11 points, Denesse Daylisan had 10 markers while setter Rihanna Navarro tallied 14 excellent sets and added five points for NUNS, which extended its unbeaten winning run to six matches without dropping a single set.

Cantada and Serneche accounted for 11 attacks each as the Lady Bullpups outspiked the Lady Brigadiers, 41-18.

Angel Perez paced EAC, which saw its five-game winning streak snapped, with 13 points off seven kills, five aces and a kill block.

Last edition’s runner-up Bacolod Tay Tung banked on Rhose Almendralejo’s 18-point explosion, all off attacks, for a second straight championship appearance.

“Sabi ko sa sarili ko pagod lang ‘yan, pagod lang. Sabi ko babawi kami sa NU so ngayon ibinigay nga ni Lord. Babalik ulit kami ng championship,” Almendralejo said.

Alexa Bertolano and Donna Mae De Leon chipped in 10 and eight markers, respectively, for the Thunderbolts.

Althea Sumague had 11 points to lead the Green Stallions, who will face the Lady Brigadiers in the battle for bronze.

Meanwhile, Everest International Academy prevailed over Immaculate Conception Academy, 31-29, 25-8, 25-13, to earn a seat in the Division 2 gold medal round.

Julia Rodriguez led the Huskies with a red-hot performance of 14 points off 12 attacks and two aces

Everest wasted four set point advantages in the extended opening set and had to fend off three set points by ICA. Rodriguez scored off a kill to put the Huskies back in front before setter Wrean Ng found a hole for a well-placed drop to take the frame and zap the fight out of their opponent.

It was all Everest from there to set up a title match against Domuschola International School.

“I think it’s definitely the spirit of the team. We were not able to do that before. It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to this point. The overall atmosphere of everyone wanting to all win, I think that’s pushing all of us to eventually dominate,” Rodriguez said.

On the other hand, the Badgers swept their way to the winner-take-all final after sweeping St. Paul College-Pasig, 25-23, 25-13, 25-20.

Victoria Valdes exploited the Jaguars’ spotty service reception to land five aces on her way to finish with 12 points for DIS.

Aside from getting a shot at becoming the first-ever Division 2 champions, both the Huskies and Badgers just earned their seats for next year’s Division 1 contest of the tournament backed by Mikasa, Asics, Team Rebel Sports, Belo Deo and Smart.

In the Division 2 classification round, Assumption Antipolo beat Miriam College, 11-25, 25-23, 27-25, 25-14, while De La Salle-Zobel B topped La Salle Green Hills, 11-25, 25-14, 25-17, 28-26.

The Amazons and the Lady Junior Archers will face off in the battle for fifth.

SGVIL games are available live and on-demand via Puso Pilipinas and Solar Sports.