CHANGES were aplenty for the embattled University of the East side — more so in the last two weeks since the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament began.
From the meteoric rise of a rookie sensation in Casiey Dongallo to UE head coach Jerry Yee's three-month coaching ban, it's been a rollercoaster start for the 1-4 (win-loss) Lady Warriors who may be losing more than they are winning, at least for now, but have taken strides bigger than they've ever had for a once cellar-dwelling program.
READ: Deputy coach calls out Lady Spikers for not respecting UE enough
With deputy coach Obet Vital calling the shots in Yee's indefinite absence, Dongallo, a 5-foot-8 outside hitter averaging 24.2 points in her first five UAAP games, was given an alternating role in UE's straight-sets loss to La Salle as a middle blocker.
Unorthodox a move as it may be, the UE super rookie isn't fazed by the challenge of mastering two crafts at once.
"Hindi po ako nahirapan [sa switch from spiker to blocker] kasi during training naman po, ininform ako ng coaches, ni Doc (Obet Vital), na magmi-middle ka, ganito ganyan. Naglalaro naman po ako ng middle since nung CAL (California Academy) pa tapos makikita niyo po nu’ng preseason namin, naglalaro na rin po ako ng middle," Dongallo said.
Although the switch per se wasn't as hard for Dongallo, who had three block points off of her 15 markers, it was the fact that she had to do it against a tall blocking team like La Salle which added a whole new dimension to the task at hand.
"‘Yung transition na magiging middle ako is hindi po mahirap. Pero compared sa kalaban ko, matatangkad sila tapos ako lang ‘yung middle na maliit."
Dongallo added: "Ang hirap po makakuha ng score sa [La Salle] kasi ‘pag tatalon ka, makikita mo tatlong blocker tapos toreng-tore talaga. Masaya lang kasi nakadikit po kami sa kanila kahit na nu'ng third set, we fell short po.
"Mahirap talagang makapuntos sa La Salle kasi ang tatangkad nila tapos magugulat ka ‘pag tatalon, tatlong blockers na pala, akala mo dalawa [lang]."
Tall order, literally
As tall a task it has been for Dongallo to go toe-to-toe with the Lady Spikers' defense whose average team height is roughly 5-foot-10, it's the learning experience against her 'dream opposition' which counted the most for the UE rookie.
"Knowing La Salle, they are just a great team talaga. Hindi lang po great team, they also have the height. Lahat po — height, skills. And I’m just happy sa team ko po na nu’ng first set, nakadikit po kami sa kanila when we scored 21 knowing na malalaki po sila," said Dongallo.
"Lagi po kasing sinasabi ng coaches sa’min na facing malalakas na teams, we have nothing to lose but everything to gain so we just have to give our all po. Kanina sa La Salle, we know naman na malalakas talaga sila. Walang mawawala sa’min eh, so ilaro mo lang talaga ‘yung laro mo," she added.
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