Ace rookie Dongallo ends 'dream' UAAP season with UE as best scorer

MANILA, Philippines – University of the East star hitter Casiey Dongallo finished her rookie campaign with the Lady Warriors on a personal high after ending up as the league’s top scorer with 291 points in 14 games. 

With this, she further boosted the promise of a more competitive UE squad in the coming seasons.

Dongallo, who was the consistent bright spot for the Lady Warriors in a three-win season, edged out rookie Most Valuable Player candidate Angge Poyos for the Best Scorer title, as the latter fell one point short of Dongallo’s output, ending up with 290 markers at the end of eliminations.

Though her first year in the Recto-based squad left much to be desired, Dongallo was more than satisfied with the way she and the rest of the team performed.

“Masaya [ako] kasi parang dati pangarap ko lang maglaro sa UAAP tapos nandito na ko ngayon. Tapos na yung rookie season,” said Dongallo after UE’s four-set win over the UP Fighting Maroons on Saturday. 

“Masaya lang din po gaya ng sabi ni Coach [Obet Vital], para sa akin hindi ganun kadali pumasok sa UE. Challenge talaga sa akin so ayun masaya naman kasi even though dapat may kaming goal na hindi namin nagawa pero andito pa rin kami yung last game namin which is nanalo naman kami, thankfully,” she added.

Dongallo proved to be a blue-chip recruit for the Lady Warriors, coming out of an impressive California Academy program. She had multiple high-scoring performances under her belt — including a 30-point outburst in a loss to FEU in the opening round.

Then, it was a scoring record for a rookie in the UAAP, before Poyos shattered the mark with her own 31-point outing against Adamson in the second round.

Still, nobody can deny the impact Dongallo had with the Lady Warriors even as a rookie. Despite challenges coming their way in the season, including the suspension of head coach Jerry Yee midway through the competition, she was able to power through and continue to produce for the Lady Warriors.

Despite this, modesty proved to be the wing spiker’s best quality as she deflected the credit of UE’s resurgent season to Vital, who stood as their interim coach following Yee’s suspension.

“Thankful lang po talaga kami kay Doc [Obet Vital] na hindi siya nag-give up sa amin. Behind sa improvement namin, siya po talaga yun kasi hindi po siya nag-give up sa amin,” she said.

Now as the Lady Warriors enter the postseason, Dongallo is upbeat on the future of the program after a stellar rookie season under her belt.

“Looking forward sa improvement kasi this season naka sixth place kami and looking forward sa Season 87 with the help of others naman, new recruits, the management of course sa walang sawang suporta samin,” she said.

Apart from Dongallo’s sophomore year, the Lady Warriors are also looking forward to the return of injured star Jelai Gajero who was sidelined before the start of UAAP Season 86.