The University of the East shook off a rocky start and a mountain of miscues to complete a dramatic turnaround, outlasting University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, 22-25, 25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 15-12, in the 2026 V-League Collegiate Challenge on Sunday, September 13, at Gameville Central Park.

UE trailed 8-12 in the deciding frame and looked headed for a third straight defeat. Instead, the Lady Warriors caught fire, reeling off seven unanswered points to flip the match on its head.

Lady Warriors Rally From the Brink in Decisive Fifth Set

Van Bangayan and Janessa Buhay spearheaded the charge, with Buhay scoring three of her points during that pivotal stretch. The surge snapped UE’s three-game slide and kept its semifinal hopes very much alive heading into the final stretch of eliminations.

What made the comeback more remarkable was the number of unforced errors UE had to overcome. The Lady Warriors committed 43 errors across the five-set battle, yet still found a way to close it out when it mattered most.

UE assistant coach Jumbo Dimaculangan credited the win to a shift in mentality after two straight five-set losses. “I think it’s about time na finally magising kami kasi pang-ilang fifth-set game na namin, and the last two hindi nanalo,” he said, adding that his squad needed to learn how to close out tight matches.

Bangayan was the offensive engine all night, erupting for 33 points built on 31 attacks, one ace, and one block. Her production pulled UE into a four-way logjam for fourth to seventh place alongside College of Saint Benilde, San Beda University, and Perpetual, all sitting at 2-3.

Bangayan, Buhay Lead Balanced UE Offense

Buhay complemented her with a well-rounded stat line of 20 points, six aces, and one block, while also anchoring the back row with 16 excellent receptions and seven excellent digs across two hours and two minutes of play.

Setter Jennel Arasan orchestrated the offense with 19 excellent sets and two points of her own, and libero Ange Reyes was equally vital on defense, piling up 20 excellent receptions and 19 excellent digs. Edcynth Brago and Francheska Adem chipped in eight and nine points, respectively, rounding out UE’s balanced attack.

For Perpetual, Cyrille Alemaniana and Jemalyn Menor led the offensive effort with 13 and 11 points, respectively, but it wasn’t enough to hold off UE’s late surge.

UE will next face winless Letran on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the same venue as it looks to strengthen its semifinal bid. Perpetual, meanwhile, will try to bounce back when it takes on Benilde on Saturday at 5 p.m.