Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League champions California Academy. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Standing 4-foot-11, Casiey Dongallo was fondly called “bulingit (tiny one)” by her coaches and teammates back when she first joined the California Academy (CAL) in 2017.
Now seven inches taller and with a big game to show, Dongallo won MVP honors in helping CAL become the first Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League champion, with the 17-year-old keeping her cards close to her chest with regard to which UAAP team she prefers play for.
After finishing with 17 points in a 25-18, 18-25, 25-14, 25-19 win over Naga College Foundation in the title game on Saturday, Dongallo bared that three other CAL standouts already have UAAP teams preferred, but will all be asking advice from coach Obet Vital on the choices they will make.
“Coach (Vital) is still studying the opportunities, then he will lay it all out for us,” Dongallo, a wing spiker, said. “When that happens, that’s the time that we will decide what’s best for us.”
Jelaica Gajero, who had 18 points and five blocks, team captain Kizzie Madriaga and Grace Fernandez, who like Dongallo are original members of the CAL program, are being highly-recruited by UAAP schools.
“I know that I still have a lot to improve on, like in the defense, in being matured in crucial games,” Dongallo said. “I know that the level of competition in college is different.”
CAL was dragged into a tight match by Naga but showed a lot of composure when the outcome hung in the balance.