IF there’s anyone surprised with how University of the East ace Casiey Dongallo’s first playing year panned out, it’s no other than the UE super rookie herself.
The Lady Warriors’ 3-11 (win-loss) record, their first three-win campaign in five years, marked significant strides for a rebuilding women’s volleyball program. But from an individual standpoint, Dongallo was in a league of her own with a handful of record-breaking performances to her name.
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In just her third-ever UAAP match, Dongallo shattered the league’s single-game rookie scoring record with 30 attack points on top of 12 digs and six receptions — eclipsing reigning MVP Angel Canino’s 28-point benchmark back in Season 85.
And in the Lady Warriors’ season finale versus University of the Philippines, Dongallo waged war one last time as a rookie by solidifying her new feat as the league’s all-time leading single-season rookie scorer with 291 points.
If she was to describe such a handful of feats at an early stage of her budding college career, Dongallo said her rookie year was totally ’unexpected.’
“Hindi ko siya in-expect na magiging ganito pala ‘yung kinalabasan ko as a rookie kasi ‘yung nasa isip ko lang talaga before pumasok sa UE is maglaro lang talaga,” Dongallo shared to SPIN.ph.
“Wala namang mawawala kasi bago pa lang ako. Inaral ko lang talaga ‘yung laro ko and thankful din naman kasi without the help of my other teammates, kunyari sina Kizzie (Madriaga), hindi ako makaka-291 points,” he added.
One step forward, two steps back?
In what will be Dongallo’s sophomore season come Season 85, she’ll be suiting up alongside a highly-touted ace whose UAAP debut was held back by a preseason ACL tear on her left knee — no other than prized talent Jelai Gajero.
With fellow top-chip recruits in Tin Ecalla and Keshia Famulagan also entering the fray, Dongallo has no plans of slowing down and only intends to share the limelight in what is expected to be an even brighter future for UE volleyball.
“Hindi tayo papatalo, siyempre. In-game pa rin tayo next season. Kung anuman po ‘yung pinakita ko this season, I will still work hard for next season,” said Dongallo.
“Ngayong dadating na si Jelai (Gajero), mag-sstepback ba ko? Siyempre hindi. As a palaban tayo, Warrior tayo eh. Walang atrasan!”
The bar has been raised high just one season into her UAAP career. But Dongallo isn’t afraid to switch up her game and bring a ‘different’ version of her already-lethal form to the Lady Warriors the rest of the way in the college ranks.
Such a change she experienced as a rookie was occasionally playing as a middle blocker as part of interim head coach Doc Obet Vital’s rotation shuffle. But for Dongallo, as much as she was thrilled to be a defensive ace, playing to her strengths as an outside hitter remains her primary desire.
“Kung ano ‘yung nakikita niyong Casiey ngayon, hoping na I will still improve next season na maiba naman ‘yung Casiey (na makita niyo) and sana mabalik na siya sa original position niya. Siguro naman, may darating nang middle blocker sa’min,” Dongallo said.
“Na-enjoy naman po (maging middle blocker). ‘Pag tinatanong na nga nila ko ngayong season kung ‘sa’n mo gustong maglaro,’ iniisip ko na lang na ‘sige, middle na lang ako.’ Na-eenjoy ko naman kahit nakakapagod.”
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