NU Lady Bulldogs’ Alyssa Solomon is the Finals MVP of the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball Finals against UST Tigresses. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIREr.net
MANILA, Philippines — Alyssa Solomon turned the UAAP women’s volleyball Finals into her playground, emerging as the MVP of the series to bring back the crown to the National University Lady Bulldogs.
Solomon unleashed her best game of the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament with 27 points to complete NU’s title redemption tour with a 25-23, 23-25, 27-25, 25-18 win over University of Santo Tomas in Game 2 in front of 22,515 fans at Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday.
“I had a mindset earlier that I have to give my best in this game because this could be my last. Just kidding! But this could be our last game this season so it was now or never,” said Solomon in Filipino after earning her first UAAP Finals MVP and second title in three years.
READ: NU Lady Bulldogs sweep UST Tigresses for volleyball title
The two-time UAAP Best Opposite Spiker averaged 22.0 points in the finals including a game-high 17 points when NU swept UST in Game 1, 25-23, 25-20, 25-20, on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Solomon has been rising to the occasion in the past three finals appearances for NU, averaging 16.5 points in Season 84 when they completed a 16-game sweep to end a 65-year title drought and norming 31.0 points in two games when they lost the championship to La Salle last year.
WATCH: Alyssa Solomon on her future and playing for Alas Pilipinas. #UAAPSeason86 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/DTJHTTF3lh
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) May 15, 2024
The 6-foot-1 hitter, though, struggled in the UAAP Season 86 Final Four but rediscovered her scoring tough on the biggest stage, saying her competitiveness naturally comes out when it matters most for her team.
READ: UAAP: Advice from Jaja Santiago spurs Alyssa Solomon on
“The competitiveness in my body naturally comes out. I don’t want my team to lose. I want to fight for them, seeing my teammates fighting for the school,” she said.
“I wanted to leave everything on the floor so I wouldn’t have any regrets in the end.”
The 22-year-old Solomon attibuted the winning tradition of NU to their previous coaches from high school tactician Babes Castillo, former head coach-turned-deputy Karl Dimaculangan to returning coach Norman Miguel, who steered the team to its second championship.
“There are a couple of setbacks but we use those defeats as learnings to become a better player, person, and team. We went through hardships in training, using it as a motivation to win every game because don’t want to put our efforts and sacrifices to waste,” Solomon said.
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Solomon said she not thinking of her next career move yet amid questions of whether she will be returning to NU or going pro.
“Actually, wala pa ako sa ganyan. Kasi ang focus ko lang talaga muna ngayon sa UAAP. Parang andon pa lang talaga, close pa lang yung mind ko sa UAAP. Wala pa po sa PVL,” she said.
