UE spikers place seventh

University of the East (UE) weathered a third set storm mounted by University of the Philippines (UP) to complete a 25-20, 25-22, 26-24, sweep and salvage a seventh place finish in the 2024 Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The Lady Warriors turned to the lethal trio of Casiey Dongallo, Jelai Gajero and KC Cepada to halt a four-game losing slide and end their campaign on a positive note.

The troika combined for 20 points in the third frame to finish off the Fighting Maroons in UE’s first and only win against a fellow University Athletic Association of the Philippines team in the tournament supported by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, GCash, Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, R and B Milk Tea, Grab Philippines and Summit Water.

Gajero finished with 17 points highlighted by 11 attacks including back-to-back kills to put the game away. The opposite hitter also had five kill blocks and one ace for the Lady Warriors.

Dongallo added 16 points with 15 coming off spikes while Cepada scattered 14 points from 10 hits and four service winners.

UE faced a tough challenge in the third set after cruising in the first two frames.

The Lady Warriors squandered a 22-19 lead after allowing UP to mount a 5-2 rally to move at set point after a Dongallo attack error. Gajero forced a deuce before the Fighting Maroons committed a costly miscue to relinquish the lead.

Gajero capped the one-hour, 30-minute game with a pipe attack.

“Happy that our third set curse ended. It’s a great feeling finally winning against a UAAP team,” Cepada said.

The Lady Warriors hope to bring the experience and lessons learned in the competition which has Smart Sports, PLDT Fibr, Mikasa, Asics, Rebel Sports, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Commission on Higher Education, Philippine Sports Commission and SM Tickets as technical partners into the UAAP Season 87 wards erupting next year.

“This league will serve as a basis for us to know our strengths, weaknesses and the things we’ll need to improve on heading into the UAAP,” Cepada said.

Nina Ytang led the Fighting Maroons, who finished in eighth place, with nine points while Kassandra Doering and Kyrzten Cabasac had eight markers each in a lost cause.