MANILA, Philippines — NU Lady Bulldogs Jen Nierva and Ivy Lacsina were thankful for a lot of things after their first-ever stint with the Philippine women's national team at the Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship held in Thailand.
But perhaps one of the biggest things for the duo was getting to share the taraflex with one of NU's best athletes in Dindin Santiago-Manabat.
Part of a younger generation of NU women's volleyball stars, Nierva and Lacsina relished being teammates with one of the school's biggest names.
"Alam mo po, matagal ko na talagang gustong makasama sila, makalaro inside the court. Kasi kapag sinabing NU women's volleyball, ang sinasabi agad ng mga tao is [the] Santiago sisters," Nierva said during their recent appearance on Philstar: Home Base.
"So being able to play with them, and sharing the same court with them, you know, it's such an honor talaga," she added.
Lacsina, for her part, had an even more intimate encouter with Santiago-Manabat.
Playing as a middle blocker, Lacsina took pointers from Santiago-Manabat's sister Jaja.
"Naalala ko yung moment na parang sobrang nag-struggle po ako sa blocking nung game namin sa Thailand, then inapproach po ako ni Ate Dindin at that time and sinabi niya sa akin, Ivy tara, panoorin natin si Ate Jaja mo magblock, yun yung game nila sa Chery Tiggo," Lacsina said.
"[Sabi ko sa kanya] na ngayon sobrang sarap ng feeling na dati nakikita lang po kita, tas ngayon shineshare mo na sa akin yung dapat ko pa iimprove. Sobrang sarap niyang kasama," she added.
Jaja, for her part, is part of the national team pool but was unable to join the team in the tournament due to her club duties in Japan.
There were no shortage of lessons that the pair was able to pick up from Santiago-Manabat, though, both on and off the court.
"Nainspire talaga kami sa work ethic nila and paano nila tignan yung volleyball," Nierva said.