Tough Road Ahead for UE Lady Warriors

By Donjie Carreon Posted Nov 24th 2013

It seems the University of the East women’s volleyball team is in for a repeat of its eighth-place last season in the upcoming UAAP tournament.

While most of the powerhouse squads are still stacked with veteran players, the Lady Warriors, who were winless in Season 75, lost three mainstays with setter Mary Grace Masangkay moving abroad, open spiker Sheisa Nebrida not making the team due to disciplinary reasons and Leuseht  Dawis failing to meet academic requirements, the Lady Warriors are left with no choice but to battle it out with the few available veterans and recruits still fresh from high school.

“Goal pa din naming mga coaches makapasok sa Final Four pero ngayon given my line-up  talagang development and rebuilding stage kami ngayon. Ok naman yung mga nakuha ko skills-wise pero pag composure ang dating ng laban kita mo yung difference sa rookie at veteran,” said coach Boy Dalistan.

The UE coach said the team would have been more competitive this season if the three key players stayed. Without them, he is looking at team captain and spiker Faith Bulan to hold the young team together and UE High School standout Shaya Adorador to step up.

UE has not made it to the Final Four in a while, with Dalistan saying that UE was last competitive in 1998, when it finished in third place. Dalistan is focused on improving this season, and hopes the gains will carry over next year.

“Dapat sana matibaytibay kami kung andiyan yung tatlo pero wala eh. Kung ano yung resources ko,pagyayamain at ide-develop ko na lang for next year. Kahit ganito, the fans can expect good games from UE. We will give theother teams a good fight,” he said.