Alyssa Solomon unleashed 30 points and helped National University rediscover its winning ways but not without a tough challenge from Far Eastern University, carving out a 25-22, 24-26, 26-24, 25-18 victory in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, March 30.

The Lady Bulldogs, fresh off a painful 24-26, 25-23, 25-17, 23-25, 12-15 loss to the UP Fighting Maroons, bounced back to strengthen their grip of the top spot at 9-1, two and a half games over second-running De La Salle Lady Spikers at 6-3.

With its aim of jumping straight to the Finals vanished, NU is now training its eyes of finishing in the top two after the eliminations.

"Syempre, thankful talaga kami kasi nakarecover kami from last game. Yun naman yung pinaka importante palagi, makarecover kami sa loss namin, maka-move on so start ulit. Start ulit para makakuha ng twice-to-beat,” said NU head coach Sherwin Meneses.

Camilla Lamina tossed a beautiful combination play that saw the Lady Tamaraws’ blockers jump early, resulting in a Vange Alinsug off-the-block hit to put the Lady Bulldogs in set point in the third before Bella Belen finished it off to put them ahead, 26-24.

Then the defending champions channeled all the momentum they got from that close win as Alyssa Solomon wreaked havoc in the fourth leading to a huge 19-10 advantage on the way to the bounce back win.

FEU launched a fiery comeback, closing in within 17-20 but NU was too poised to squander its nine-point cushion, finishing with a 5-1 closer to avoid going to a deciding set just like they did in their first round encounter, a 25-15, 23-25, 24-26, 26-23, 15-8 escape for the Lady Bulldogs.

Solomon, Erin Pangilinan, Bella Belen, and Alinsug banged in the final five points to secure the win after two hours and 25 minutes.

“Thankful ako sa nangyari sa UP game namin kasi para sa akin nakita ko siya as wake up call na dapat di kami maging complacent talaga kahit number one kami. After ng game na yon, nag move forward agad kami at trinabaho namin kung ano yung mga dapat trabahuin and thankful naman kami kasi marami kaming lessons na nakuha sa game na yun,” said Solomon, who made 26 attacks, three blocks, and an ace.

Two-time MVP Belen added 18 points, 14 digs, and 13 receptions, while Alinsug had 13 points.

Lamina delivered 30 excellent sets while Shaira Jardio registered 27 excellent digs and 12 receptions.

NU looks to get another winning streak going when it battles Adamson University next Sunday at the Big Dome while FEU seeks to rebound against University of the Philippines on the same day.

Meanwhile, the Lady Tamaraws slipped to 6-4 at solo third but with fourth-place UST Golden Tigresses not far behind at 5-4.

Congolese opposite hitter Faida Bakanke carried the fight for FEU with 21 points while middle blockers Jean Asis and Jazlyn Ellarina got 16 and 15 points, respectively.

Outside spikers Gerzel Petallo and Chenie Tagaod only made nine and eight points, respectively, but shone defensively with the former tallying 11 digs and 10 receptions while the latter collected 14 receptions and 10 digs.