Eshana Nunag is enjoying this luxury as the DLSU Lady Spikers’ rookie playmaker.
Already featuring two of the UAAP’s most fearsome spikers, De La Salle University appears to have found its missing link for Season 88 — steady playmaking.
With DLSU hell-bent on reclaiming the throne, crucial to their 2-0 start in Season 88 has been rookie setter Eshana Nunag, whose playmaking chops have allowed the Lady Spikers to mount commanding sweeps over the UST Golden Tigresses and FEU Lady Tamaraws.
For the prized playmaker, it’s a matter of seizing the moment, knowing that the UAAP is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for its student-athletes.
“Syempre, parang ito na nga po, UAAP na po ito. After [ng second game against UST], mas na-feel ko na po of how big of a stage po ‘yung UAAP,” Nunag told a few reporters after DLSU’s 25-14, 25-15, 26-24 sweep over the Golden Tigresses on Sunday.
“Pero at the same time, it’s also a place po to learn more po together with my ates po, lalo po ‘yung mga kasama ko is mga veterans na…so parang ito na po ‘yung place na mapakita ‘yung pinag-trainingan namin and lahat ng natutunan po.”
A homegrown talent from La Salle Integrated School, Eshana Nunag is tossing up a league-high 4.67 excellent sets per frame, orchestrating an offense led by captain Shevana Laput (24 points per game) and Alas Pilipinas stalwart Angel Canino (14 points per game).
Although steadying the ship is no easy task, Nunag knows that she and the Lady Spikers have done their part preparing for Season 88, and each game is a matter of giving it their all on the floor.
“Pag sa ganung usapan po, ang mindset ko lang is to give ‘yung kaya ko po. Kung ano po ‘yung pinag–trainingan po namin na mga ates, kasi alam po namin na pinaghandaan po namin itong UAAP season. Ilalaro lang po talaga namin ‘yung one game at a time po,” she said.
Just as important to Nunag’s rapid rise is DLSU’s veterans. Aside from being her shoulders to lean on, the luxury of setting up Laput, Canino, and even Amie Provido is something that empowers Nunag, too, especially with their mix of power, length, and veteran smarts.
“Syempre mataas po ‘yung kumpyansa ko sa kanila. Alam ko po na nandiyan sila para sa akin, and kaya po nilang bitbitin, na may maasahan po ako na ‘ay, kahit ibigay ko ito kay ate, kaya niyang pumatay’,” said Nunag, who has been training with DLSU since her senior high days.
“So very easy job, kahit papaano po mas napapadali ‘yung work ko dahil papaano kasi po nakikita ko ‘yung kumpyansa po sa kanila.”
Still, Nunag isn’t resting on her laurels, knowing that her current form is still a work in progress under Ramil de Jesus’ tutelage. But if her first two games are any indicator, it’s the fact that the Lady Spikers have found the perfect orchestrator for their title hopes.
“Medyo mayroon pa rin pong need ayusin, and throughout the UAAP season, sana mas ma-correct ko pa po ‘yung mga sarili ko doon.”
Images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.
Frequently Asked Questions
Eshana Nunag is posting a league-high 4.67 excellent sets per frame, orchestrating DLSU’s offense through a 2-0 start built on sweeps over UST and FEU. She has emerged as a key playmaker in her rookie UAAP season.
Nunag credited the confidence she has in DLSU’s veteran hitters, saying she trusts that whatever she sets up, they can finish. That trust in teammates like Shevana Laput and Angel Canino makes her playmaking role feel easier.
Captain Shevana Laput leads DLSU with 24 points per game, followed by Alas Pilipinas stalwart Angel Canino with 14 points per game. Both hitters have benefited from Eshana Nunag’s playmaking as DLSU’s rookie setter.
Eshana Nunag is a homegrown talent from La Salle Integrated School and has been training with DLSU since her senior high school days, giving her early familiarity with the system before her UAAP rookie season.
DLSU swept the UST Golden Tigresses 25-14, 25-15, 26-24 on Sunday, improving to 2-0 in UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball behind Eshana Nunag’s playmaking and DLSU’s veteran-led offense.
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