MANILA—The COMELEC Suffragettes pulled off a monumental upset in the UNTV Volleyball League Season 4 preliminary round on May 20, at the Paco Arena, dismantling the undefeated run of the PhilHealth Health Insurers in a thrilling four-set match, 25-23, 25-16, 18-25, 25-23. 

COMELEC achieved the seemingly impossible by becoming the only team to stain the Health Insurers’ clean-slate record before the tournament transitions into the critical quarterfinals. 

This shocking defeat heavily disrupted the leaderboard, dragging the league leaders down to the number two spot in the team standings.

Danika Gendrauli spearheaded the historic upset, delivering a masterclass performance to earn the Best Player of the Game honors. 

Gendrauli single-handedly pick-pocketed the PhilHealth defense by assailing every weak spot on the floor, exploding for a spectacular 25-point outing built on 18 ferocious attacks, 6 service aces, and a block. 

Her offensive brilliance and relentless pressure on the service line ensured that COMELEC kept their composure even after dropping the third set, ultimately shutting the door on PhilHealth’s comeback attempt in the fourth.

Despite orchestrating the biggest storyline of the preliminary round, Gendrauli emphasized that the Suffragettes are far from satisfied and will focus heavily on their consistency moving forward. 

"Mag-eensayo pa kami ng maigi tapos yung service/receive namin dun naman talaga kasi nananalo, tsaka yung tibay namin sa loob ng court," Gendrauli stated post-game interview.

With momentum completely on their side and a reputation as certified giant slayers, COMELEC heads into the quarterfinals armed with the grit and tactical sharpshooting necessary to threaten the rest of the UVL field.