By MARK REY MONTEJO
Casiey Dongallo’s season debut for University of the Philippines came to a sad and abrupt end after a knee injury forced her to miss the remainder of the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball, the school announced Saturday, March 14.
Dongallo, 20, a transferee from University of the East, will have to wait for another year to resume her collegiate career after further tests confirmed that she have ACL and meniscus tears in her left knee.
She is scheduled for surgery in the next few days before she recuperates in time for her last hurrah – her final year of eligibility for the Fighting Maroons.
The Cebuana hitter’s mishap occurred during the State U’s game against the Far Eastern University at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last weekend when Dongallo landed awkwardly after scoring a point in the opening set. She was stretchered out of the match and her team eventually bowed in three sets.
It was a big blow for UP as Dongallo had her breakthrough game for the Maroons after posting a 20-point output in their pulsating five-set win over reigning champion National University.
Dongallo then missed their following game against host University of Santo Tomas, but she came out to support her teammates on the sidelines while using crutches to walk. Unfortunately, UP loss anew for its first back-to-back losses this season.
Italian head coach Fabio Menta admired Dongallo’s optimism and hoped that their key gunner would return for her final act.
”She’s in a great mood. I’m surprised she never felt the desperation. She came to the (next) game, she comes to our training, still smiling,” said Menta.
”Now, we want to be optimistic. By late December or January next year, she’ll be training again. Hopefully,” he added.
With the absence of Dongallo, who only played for four contests, and a 3-3 tally, Niña Ytang, Irah Jaboneta, Jelai Gajero, Joan Monares, and Kian Olanggo must step up offensively to bolster their hopes of returning to the Final Four.
