Southern JV trips SIS in v’ball

Saipan Southern High School’s junior varsity made short work of its counterparts at Saipan International School and scored an easy 25-17, 25-15, 15-12 win in yesterday’s opening game in the 2014-2015 Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization Girls Volleyball League at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

A Saipan Southern High School junior varsity member keeps the ball in play while her teammates look on during their game against Saipan International School JV in the Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization Girls Volleyball League yesterday at the Marianas High School Gymnasium. (Jon Perez)

The Saipan Southern JV volleybelles found little resistance from SIS and led from start to finish to nail their second straight win after dropping their opening match against MHS JV, 25-23, 25-4, 10-15, on Jan. 8.

The Lady Manta Rays, after that loss, completed a 25-18, 25-20, 15-11 triumph over Mt. Carmel School’s JV team last week.

It was SIS JV’s second loss in three matches. The Junior Lady Geckos opened the league with a win over Kagman High School JV before they were beaten by MHS JV last week.

In the SSHS-SIS JV game, the Junior Lady Mantas took advantage of a listless Junior Lady Geckos side as they found numerous holes on their opponents’ defensive formation.

Saipan Southern, if stats were recorded, could have scored more than 15 points on aces alone, as SIS failed to return the serves many times.

Often, the SIS players manning the frontline were too deep in their positions and failed to return the ball, giving their counterparts at SSHS the easy points. A number of times, the ball just landed in front of the Lady Geckos.

In the other match on the opposite side of the court, Mt. Carmel defeated Kagman in another all-JV game.

Kagman forfeited the first set as it lacked one player to complete the six-member roster inside the court. The player was late and when she arrived the game started in the second set.

The Junior Lady Ayuyus tied the match at one set apiece with a 26-24 decision in the second frame.

Kagman, down 18-23 in the second, battled back to tie the count and won the set as Mt. Carmel committed back-to-back errors.

But the Junior Lady Knights won’t be denied of the victory and played more aggressively in the deciding set, while Kagman was a bit sluggish. MCS JV raced to an 8-2 lead and never looked back after that.

Meanwhile, the varsity matches between Kagman and Grace Christian Academy, MHS and SSHS, MCS and SIS, and GCA and MHS were still being played at press time. Results will be published in Saipan Tribune’s Thursday edition.