MCS ends GCA’s streak

Mt. Carmel School’s Louisa Hahn leaps to stop the ball off a spike from Grace Christian Academy during their game in the 2018-2019 PSS Interscholastic Volleyball League yesterday at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.
(Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Mt. Carmel School handed Grace Christian Academy its first loss in the 2018-2019 PSS Interscholastic Volleyball League after surviving a three-set thriller yesterday at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

The Lady Knights rallied from an opening set defeat to ground the Lady Eagles and snap the latter’s six-game winning streak. GCA moved a set away from extending its run after posting a 25-20 victory in the opener that was delayed due to a power outage. The match was halted with the Lady Eagles ahead, 23-16, and when the game resumed, GCA managed to withstand MCS’ late push to take the first set.

Then in the second set, the Lady Knights regrouped and won another closely fought match, 25-23. Mt. Carmel went on to complete the come-from-behind victory after escaping with a 15-13 triumph in the deciding third set.

The win over GCA gave Mt. Carmel a sweep in its pair of matches yesterday. The Lady Knights earlier dueled the winless Agape Christian School and prevailed in all three sets of the one-sided match. MCS eased its way to a 25-8 victory in the first set and then got the outright win in the pairing after dominating Agape anew in the second, 25-5. Despite securing the victory early, the Lady Knights were still at it, beating Agape in the third set, 15-12.

In other results yesterday, Kagman High School pulled off an upset over Saipan International School.

Kagman eked out a 27-25 win in the extended first set, while SIS fought back in the second with another close victory, 25-23. For the deciding third set, the Lady Ayuyus outclassed the Geckos, 15-7.

SIS bowed to Kagman after playing three matches last Tuesday. The Lady Geckos split their two games against Saipan Southern High School early this week with both matches won in three sets. Then in its third straight game of the night, SIS also needed three sets to beat Agape, which stunned its foe in the opener, 25-21. The Lady Geckos then averted Agape’s bid for a sweep after taking the second set, 25-21, and closed out the long night with a 15-6 victory in the third set.

Meanwhile, four more playing days (Oct. 2, 4, 9, and 11) are left in the regular season of the girls volleyball competition, while the double-elimination championship round will take place on Oct. 12 and 13.