The University of the East finally snapped a 40-game, five-year losing streak with a resounding 65-47 victory over De La Salle University in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Women’s Basketball Tournament on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Led by the outstanding performances of Jearzy Ganade, Moana Vacalares, and Aliyah Ronquillo, UE ended a losing drought that had spanned 1,081 days.
The team’s last victory came against the University of the Philippines in Season 82, a narrow 68-66 escape on September 21, 2019.
The game began with DLSU taking an early lead, but UE quickly seized control. A dominant defensive performance by the Lady Warriors held DLSU to just 14 points combined in the second and third quarters, giving UE a comfortable 49-32 advantage heading into the final period.
“Nanalo rin kami. ‘Yon ang masarap kasi rookie team ito, talagang bago kasi lahat ng players ko, so ‘yun lang naman goal namin, ‘yung kultura ng UE maibalik namin,” said long-time Lady Warriors’ head coach Ai Lebornio. “Since day one na nag-coach ako dito, 2013, parang ‘yun yung nawala ‘eh.”
Early in the fourth quarter, Ronquillo’s layup extended UE’s lead to a game-high 21 points, sealing their long-awaited first win in five years and sending the Lady Archers to their worst start since Season 80.
In her first season back after a two-year hiatus from the UAAP, Ganade led the charge in the historic win with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting, complemented by six rebounds and six assists.
Rachel Lacayanga notched a double-double performance with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Ronquillo contributed 11 points and eight assists.
Looking to build on this momentum, UE aims to ignite a winning streak for the first time since Season 81, when they secured victories over University of Santo Tomas and UP to close out the eliminations.
On the other hand, this loss marked La Salle’s worst start in seven years, following defeats to the Ateneo Blue Eagles, Adamson Lady Falcons, and National University Lady Bulldogs, culminating in the setback against the Lady Warriors.
Luisa San Juan led the Lady Archers in the losing effort with 14 points and five rebounds, while Patricia Mendoza added 10 points as La Salle fell to a 0-4 record.
As they look to bounce back, the Lady Archers will prepare to face the Growling Tigresses next Sunday at 11:30 a.m. at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Meanwhile, University of the Philippines showed composure in the clutch, securing a narrow 82-77 victory over Far Eastern University to claim a share of fourth place.
Games on Wednesday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)
8 a.m. – DLSZ vs FEU-D (JHS)
9:45 a.m. – ADU vs NUNS (JHS)
11:30 a.m. – DLSU vs FEU (Women)
1:30 p.m. – NU vs UP (Women)
4:30 p.m. – DLSU vs FEU (Men)
6:30 p.m. – ADU vs NU (Men)
