BY ABBY TORALBA
ALTHOUGH still in a rebuilding process following the departure of former team standouts and having a new coach, University of the East is out to put up a big fight in the 86th UAAP women’s volleyball tournament kicking off this Saturday.
The Lady Warriors will parade a new tactician in Jerry Yee, along with prized recruits from California Academy.
Yee said he will field a fighting team with rookies such as open hitter Casiey Dongallo and setter Krizzie Madriaga expected to lead the squad.
“We came in July so medyo late na kami sa recruitment. Iyong nakuha natin isang batch (from California Academy), tatlo lang iyon. Late tayo sa recruitment but iyon na nga, iyong existing players try natin i-develop,” Yee said.
“So, we’re still excited for the season so the goal is not to kumbaga–not to finish last,’di ba? Tinatry natin ma-achieve na iyon nga, hindi mahuli, makapanalo ng ilang games. So hopefully, ma-achieve namin,” he added.
Dongallo and Madriaga are expected to make their debut after being sought-after belles in high school along with wing spiker Jelai Gajero but the latter suffered an ACL injury in September.
Yee, who also handles defending champion College of St. Benilde in the NCAA and Farm Fresh Foxies in the PVL, said that aside from Gajero, the Lady Warriors are “ready to go” in the volley wars.
Mainstays Khy Cepada, Riza Nogales and Dara Nieva are out to provide help.
“Okay lang, okay lang as long as may sistemang nasusunod kasi mahirap iyong iba-iba ng sistema, be it rookies or veterans, dapat magkaisa so itong natira, ito iyong na-form namin, ito yung susunod sa sistema so laban lang kami ngayon,” he said.
“Sana mag-translate into wins iyong practices natin. Maganda naman iyong mga practices. Okay naman iyong team. Attendance and all, iyong support, so hopefully, by Season 86, makakuha tayo a few more wins.”
