Alyssa Solomon got some advice from former UAAP MVP and NU Lady Bulldog Jaja Santiago, who is back in the Philippines after her most recent Japan season.
National University bounced back in a big way from a poor performance to start the Final Four, scoring a decisive win against Far Eastern University on Wednesday to make the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball Finals.
The Lady Bulldogs took care of business this time around and swept the Lady Tamaraws, 25-13, 27-25, 25-15.
Aside from the hunger to grab a third-straight Finals ticket, NU was also given a big boost to its game as Japan V.League star and former Lady Bulldog Jaja Santiago showed up to support the team.
And after their Final Four win, star opposite hitter Alyssa Solomon couldn't help but be touched by Santiago's effort to watch the Lady Bulldogs play despite her busy schedule.
"Super happy ako kasi nag-make time siya para samin kahit na super busy niya," Solomon said during the post-game press conference.
In the knockout game against FEU, Solomon finished with just nine points on 8/29 attacks. This comes after her eight-point performance in Game 1, a true far cry from what she's truly capable of.
To put her surprising struggles in perspective, in her last playoff game prior to this season's Final Four, Solomon scored 34 points for NU in Game 2 of the Season 85 Finals, one point shy of the all-time women's record.
But all's well that ends well for Solomon, and as NU celebrated the win, Alyssa was spotted getting a "sermon" from her ate Jaja.
"Nung katabi ko si ate Ja, [sabi niya] 'Ano ba naman 'yung mga palo mo?' Napagalitan ako. Hindi naman nagalit pero inadvise ako [na] kailangan taasaan mo pa 'yung kamay mo sa pag-palo, kailangan mas mabilis ka pa sa pag-approach," said Solomon of the interaction with the UAAP Season 80 MVP.
"After niya sabihin 'yun, parang sabi ko kulang pa rin talaga, marami pa rin dapat i-work on. Super happy ako kasi nago-observe siya sa bawa't galaw namin," Alyssa added.
With Santiago's advice, Solomon will look to up her game even further, especially come the Finals where NU will face the University of Santo Tomas.
Game 1 will be on Saturday, May 11 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao at 4:00 p.m.