CASIEY Dongallo and Jelai Gajero were thorns on the side of their former team, as the University of the Philippines downed University of the East in four sets, 25-12, 25-9, 21-25, and 25-19 in the UAAP Season 88 women's volleyball tournament on Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.
Dongallo and Gajero made an impact right away in their first match in maroon-and-green, while Irah Jaboneta and Nina Ytang made noise to start the swansongs of their collegiate careers for the Maroons who are fighting to end a near-decade playoff drought.
State U was in complete command in the first two frames, as it unleashed its brand new fully loaded arsenal of veterans like Jaboneta and Ytang alongside talented transferee Dongallo.
But the Lady Warriors refused to lay down and fall victim to a sweep with a tremendous showing in the third set.
That was until UP sent in Gajero, another UE-to-UP talent, to restore order and seal the deal in this ringing beginning to this new era under Italian shot-caller Fabio Menta. From being down one, 9-10, the young wing energized a 5-1 blast that sent her side ahead, 14-11, never relinquishing both the lead and the momentum.
"We are a very good fast team. We are not a very good slow team. But it's not up to them. It's up to us to become a good team," said Menta in his maiden post-win interview.
Jaboneta and Ytang both wound up with 14 points, with the latter also registering three kill blocks. Dongallo and second-year spiker Kianne Olango also added 13 markers apiece, as Gajero ended with five points to her name.
For UE, Van Bangayan topped the scoring column with 19 points, all but three from attacks, while Bea Zamudio chimed in 14 markers.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
