Games on November 22:
(Rizal Memorial Coliseum)
6:30 p.m. — La Salle vs NU (championship)
University of the East fended off University of the Philippines to essay 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, Nov. 16, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Casiey Dongallo and Jelai Gajero took over in the closing stretch of the extended third set as the Lady Warriors snapped a four-game losing skid to end their campaign on a positive note.
The duo along with seasoned hitter KC Cepada scored a combined 20 points in the third frame to finish off the Fighting Maroons in UE’s first and only win against a fellow UAAP 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 markers 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.
“Masaya na di namin natuloy dito ang third set curse namin. Masarap sa feeling kasi may na-beat kami na 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 (CHED), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and SM Tickets as technical partners into the UAAP Season 87 wards erupting next year.
“’Yung league na ‘to parang basis siya kung ano ang strength namin para sa upcoming UAAP. Kung ano ang strength namin, weakness namin and ano pa ang mai-imrprove namin,” Cepada said.
UP closed their campaign at eighth place.
Nina Ytang led the Fighting Maroons with nine points while Kassandra Doering and Kyrzten Cabasac had eight markers each in a lost cause.
SSL games are aired live and on-demand via Puso Pilipinas, SMART Livestream, Solar Sports Channel 70 on Sky Cable and Channel 59 on Cable Link.
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