UE blasts Mapua into bits

Games today:

(Rizal Memorial Coliseum)

1 p.m. — UST vs Mapua

3:30 p.m. — Saint Benilde vs FEU

6 p.m. — Adamson vs San Sebastian

University of the East (UE) bucked the absence of winger Casiey Dongallo and a spirited third set fight by Mapua University to eke out a 25-14, 25-20, 25-20, win and draw closer to a seat in the second round of the 2024 Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Despite Dongallo skipping the game to undergo a platelet-rich plasma injection in her right arm, the Lady Warriors had a lot of pieces to turn to as they remained unbeaten after three outings for a firmer hold of the top spot in Pool B.

“People stepped up with Casiey out. Our first six and second six soring-wise we did well. Set-wise we won three straight but I feel like we still have a lot more skills to stretch, to work with, and to improve,” UE deputy coach Doc Obet Vital said.

Riza Nogales scored 11 points from nine kills, one ace and one kill block to lead UE’s back-to-back straight sets win the tournament backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, GCash, Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, R and B Milk Tea and Summit Water.

Jelai Gajero added nine points while Yesha Rojo chipped in eight for the Lady Warriors, who can complete a sweep of the group stage when they face University of Santo Tomas on 13 October.

UE encountered tough resistance in the third frame after cruising in the first two as Mapua kept it tight until the closing stretch.

The Lady Cardinals closed the gap, 22-20, but Nogales answered with back-to-back hits before Christine Ecalla put the exclamation point off a crosscourt hit that Mapua failed to control.

Alyanna Ong and Nadine Berces finished with six points each to pace the Lady Cardinals, who absorbed their second defeat in as many starts.