‘It was a hard-fought and exhausting match for two teams coming off a loss. We both wanted nothing else but to bounce back. It was an exciting and emotionally-charged game.’
FAIDA Bakanke comes up with crucial plays in the deciding set to help FEU outlast UE in a marathon five-setter. | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF UAAP
Far Eastern University weathered University of the East rookie Casiey Dongallo's 30-point explosion and pulled off a thrilling 22-25, 25-17, 25-18, 25-27, 15-11, escape in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 86 women's volleyball tournament Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Foreign student-athlete Faida Bakanke and veteran Chenie Tagaod came up with timely hits late in the fifth set for the Lady Tamaraws to fend off the desperate comeback attempt of the Lady Warriors.
FEU needed two hours and 19 minutes to emerge victorious in the marathon match and grab its second win in three outings.
"It was a hard-fought and exhausting match for two teams coming off a loss. We both wanted nothing else but to bounce back. It was an exciting and emotionally-charged game," Lady Tamaraws head coach Manolo Refugia said.
Gerzel Petallo led FEU with 18 points off 14 kills, three kill blocks and an ace she laced with nine digs and nine excellent receptions.
Tagaod finished with 16 points while Bakanke added 14 markers in the victory.
The Lady Tamaraws raced to an early 7-2 lead in the fifth frame but saw Dongallo and Riza Nogales fire back to trim their advantage to just a single margin, 12-11. Bakanke and Tagaod would not let the game slip away as they scored the last three points of the game.
Dongallo willed the Lady Warriors back from a 22-23 deficit in the fourth set with five crucial points to force the decider.
The California Academy recruit posted a new career-best scoring output, which reset the UAAP record for most points by a rookie in a single game. Her total output surpassed reigning Most Valuable Player and Season 85 Rookie of the Year Angel Canino's 28 set in the second round last year in De La Salle University's win against Adamson University.
Dongallo scored all her points off kills and added 12 digs and six excellent receptions in the Lady Warriors' second-straight loss to fall to a 1-2 slate.
Kayce Balingit contributed 16 as well in UE's defeat.
In men's play, FEU preserved its flawless record after sweeping University of the East, 25-22, 25-17, 25-15.
The Tamaraws captured their third straight win in as many games for their best start since 2018.
The Red Warriors remain winless in three outings.
La Salle, on the other hand, frustrated the error-prone University of Santo Tomas to eke out a 26-24, 23-25, 25-21, 25-15, win and tied its victim at second spot with a 2-1 card.
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