Casiey Dongallo of the UP Fighting Maroons will miss the remainder of UAAP Season 88 women's volleyball due to anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus tears in her left knee. The injury occurred on March 8 during a match against the FEU Lady Tamaraws. She is expected to be sidelined for 10 to 12 months.
The UP Fighting Maroons announced on March 14 that Casiey Dongallo will miss the rest of UAAP Season 88 women's volleyball after sustaining anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus tears in her left knee. The injury happened in the first set of their 25-13, 25-21, 25-16 loss to the FEU Lady Tamaraws on March 8, following a bad fall that required assistance to return to the dugout.
Using an immobilizer and crutches, Dongallo attended the team's next match against the UST Golden Tigresses on March 11, which ended in a 16-25, 25-13, 25-19, 25-20 defeat. Prior to the injury, she had a standout performance, scoring 20 points in a five-set upset over the two-time defending champion NU Lady Bulldogs on February 28.
“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,” head coach Fabio Menta said about Dongallo's mindset. “Now, we want to be optimistic. By late December or January next year, she’ll be training again. Hopefully.”
Teammates Jelai Gajero, Joan Monares, and Irah Jaboneta are set to step up on the wings. “Casiey’s a big loss, but the girls understand they need to do more now to compensate,” Menta noted. “The girls are okay. They’re working, and hopefully, we find the right adjustments. We are preparing hard to do our best.”
With a 3-3 record, UP aims to end its two-game skid against the Adamson Lady Falcons on March 15. Dongallo will have one year of eligibility remaining for Season 89 upon her return.