FANCIED National University Nazareth School announced its arrival with a resounding two-game sweep to set its title quest in the 2025 Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (SGVIL) Rising Stars Cup Division 1 in motion Monday at the La Salle Green Hills Gym.

The reigning UAAP champion and fresh off a gold medal conquest in the Ilocos Norte Palarong Pambansa sent a strong statement with a sweep of erstwhile unbeaten Far Eastern University-Diliman, 25-19, 25-23 in the Lady Bullpups’ debut match in Pool D.

UAAP Season 87 MVP Sam Cantada fired seven points as NUNS slowed down Lady Baby Tamaraws top gunner Ifunanya Udeagbala and neutralized her support crew to spoil FEU-Diliman’s bid for an elimination round sweep of 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.

The Lady Bullpups sustained their momentum in the afternoon session with a 25-23, 25-14, victory over St. John’s Institute-Bacolod.

NUNS encountered tough resistance from the Falcons in the opening set. The Ilonggo squad kept it close and even saved a set point, 23-24, before Jenelyn Jacob secured the frame with a down the line hammer.

It was all Lady Bullpups in the second frame.

Cantada scored 10 points while Jacob and Raine Alonzo added eight markers each for NUNS, which will face University of the Philippines Integrated School (0-3) and University of Sto. Tomas (2-1) Tuesday to wrap the pool play.

The Lady Baby Tamaraws closed their elims run with a 3-1 win-loss record and were denied an outright quarterfinal berth. FEU-Diliman will have to wait for the result of the remaining Pool D games to determine if it will advance into the knockout stage or be sent packing.

SJI ended its participation in the tournament, backed by Mikasa, Asics, Team Rebel Sports, Belo Deo and Smart, with a 1-3 slate.

In Pool B, Bacolod Tay Tung also swept its back-to-back debut schedule after prevailing over Bethel Academy, 25-14, 25-16, and De La Salle-Lipa, 25-18, 25-18.

The Thunderbolts, coming off a runner-up finish in Palarong Pambansa, will face Holy Rosary College (0-2) and Chiang Kai Shek (2-1) on Tuesday.

In the other Pool B match, De La Salle-Lipa (1-1) beat Chiang Kai Shek, 25-17, 25-17, for a 1-1 record.

Meanwhile, Arellano University joined King’s Montessori School (3-1) in the next round with a 25-13, 25-15, domination of Corpus Christi School to stay unbeaten in three starts in Pool C.

Inaugural champion California Academy (2-2) concluded its campaign on a winning note with a come-from-behind 21-25, 25-21, 25-22, escape over De La Salle Zobel-A (1-2) in the other Pool C pairing.

Lyceum of the Philippines University gave debuting Naga College Foundation a rude welcome, 18-25, 25-20, 25-19, for a 2-2 mark in Pool A.

In the lone Division 2 match, Miriam College scored an upset over quarters-bound La Salle Green Hills, 25-23, 16-25, 25-20, to keep its playoffs hopes alive.

The Maria Katipuneras notched their first win in three starts while the Greenies saw their three-game winning run snapped to close the pool play.

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