SSHS, SIS in battle royale

Saipan Southern High School’s Cassandra Camacho taps the ball during the third set of their game against Saipan International School in the 2018-2019 PSS Interscholastic Volleyball League yesterday at the Marianas High School Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Saipan Southern High School and Saipan International School engaged in a slugfest and ended up splitting their double-header in the girls high school division of the 2018-2019 PSS Interscholastic Volleyball League yesterday at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

The opposing squads played a total of six sets with their pair of matches running for more than two hours and the final one wrapping up past the 6:30pm mark, delaying the start of the last match of the night, which incidentally also featured SIS and Agape Christian School (make-up for the canceled tiff last Sept. 11).

Saipan Southern denied SIS’ bid for a sweep, winning the second game, 25-23, 23-25, 15-9.

The Lady Geckos built a 13-8 lead in the first set of Game 2, but could not hang on to the driver’s seat, which SSHS finally grabbed at the 16-15 tally. It was a nip-and-tuck affair after that with the Lady Rays escaping with the 2-point win, thanks to SIS’ wide shots in the end.

Then in the second set, Saipan Southern was in control of majority of the match and led by as much as 8, 18-10. However, just when the Lady Rays thought they had the game in the bag, SIS fought back with a 8-1 rally to threaten Southern, 18-19. Saipan Southern then gained more cushion, 22-20, with its 22nd point coming off Malika Miyawaki’s wide spike.

Miyawaki tried again and this time the ball dropped to an unguarded spot, moving SIS within one. A wide return from the Lady Rays tied the match, 22-22, while SIS wrestled the upper hand, 23-22 off another Miyawaki’s kill. The second deadlock came in the next play after a short shot from SIS. However, the Lady Geckos reclaimed the lead, 24-23, when Maria Gregoire hit the ball down the sideline, catching Saipan Southern players off guard. SIS went on to close the second set and remain in contention after Sally Lai’s tap near the net fell at the frontline with two Lady Rays struggling to receive the ball.

In the deciding third set, the opposing teams had another close battle early on with the game tied last at 5-all, before Saipan Southern gained momentum when sides switched, 8-5.

Though the last set was just a race to 15, it still took a while for the game to finish, as Saipan Southern and SIS had a couple of long rallies. A tap by Cassandra Camacho moved the Lady Rays closer to victory, 14-8, but they failed to end the match in the ensuing play, as SIS countered with a drop shot. Then the game finally ended when SIS’ Maury Zon Tybaco’s serve went wide off to the sideline.

Earlier in their first duel, SIS prevailed against Saipan Southern in the first set, 25-19, but the latter came back in the second with a tough 25-22 triumph. The third set was another tight match with the Lady Geckos pulling off a 15-11 victory.

Meanwhile, in other results, GCA and MHS swept their respective opponents.

GCA eased past Agape, 25-3, 25-8, 15-7, to remain undefeated, while MHS topped Kagman High School, 25-16, 25-18, 15-8.