Fil-Italian Milena Alessandrini will play a pivotal role in UST's bid to bring back the volleyball crown to España.
It took tremendous amount of dedication, sacrifice, and hard work for UST Golden Tigresses spiker Millena Alessandrini to come back and play again in the UAAP.
Almost four years removed from her last game in the collegiate rank due to injuries, the Fil-Italian finally returned on Sunday as the Golden Tigresses opened their UAAP Season 85 campaign.
"I had a mix of emotions because I didn't play for a long time," Alessandrini admitted.
The former UAAP Rookie of the Year scored 10 points in four sets of action, although the Golden Tigresses fell short against the De La Salle Lady Spikers in five sets.
"It's the first game, I need to improve a lot, my mentality, my mind, and to face all the season," added Alessandrini.
While Alessandrini and UST might have liked a better result, the returning Golden Tigress is still thankful for a successful comeback considering the long wait it took for her to play again in black and gold.
"Actually, it was very hard. The first operation, my knee, it didn't improve so I needed to take a second operation," she said.
"Very long journey and very hard. But I have to say, a lot of people helped me, supported me."
UST coach Kungfu Reyes knows the program is lucky to have Alessandrini back in camp.
"She wanted to finish what she started," Reyes said.
The Golden Tigress mentor admits Alessandrini has a lot of conditioning work to cover, but he also believes the 6-foot-1 spiker will regain her strength as the season goes deeper.
"Hopefully, bago matapos 'yung first round, maka-recover siya 100%. Nag-strengthening pa. Makikita niyo atake niya, mataas, pero hindi pa loaded. We're working on that every day."
Every day for the past four years or so has been a battle for Alessandrini, so expect her to work just as hard to get back to her old fiery form.