MHS 1 sweeps prelims

Grace Christian Academy 2’s Katriel Saures sets up a teammate during their preliminary game against Marianas High School 1 in the 2020-2021 Public School System Interscholastic 4v4 Beach Volleyball League last month at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan sand courts. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Marianas High School 1 earned a perfect record in the preliminary round of the girls division competition in the 2020-2021 Public School System Interscholastic 4v4 Beach Volleyball League after getting five more wins last Saturday at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan sand courts.

The Lady Dolphins finished the prelims with a 9-0 record to top the team standings and take the No. 1 seeding in the double-elimination playoff round that will be held on Feb. 19 and 20.

MHS 1, which has Fatima Monterubio, Aiko and Nichko Rasiang, Madeleen Narciso, and Nathanette Blas on its roster, bagged four victories on Court 1 and got one on Court 4 to post an unblemished record. The Lady Dolphins downed Mt. Carmel School 2, 21-9, in their first match last weekend, and then defeated MCS 1 and Saipan International School 1 in similar scores, 21-14, and MHS 3, 21-12. For its last game, MHS 1 was pitted against Grace Christian Academy 1 and the former won, 21-10.

Joining MHS 1 in the Top 4 seeding for next weekend’s playoff round are GCA 2 (8-2), SIS 1 (7-2), and GCA 1 (6-3). Rota and Tinian did not compete in the preliminary round and automatically took the No. 5 and 6 seeding, respectively, while MHS 2 (6-3) is seeded No. 7 and is followed by MCS 1 (4-5), SIS 2 (3-6), MHS 3 (2-7), MHS 4 (1-8), and MCS 2 (1-8).

A Marianas High School 1 player dinks the ball. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

MHS 1, GCA 1 and 2, and SIS 1 will get a bye in the first round of the playoffs, while the eight other squads will play in the opening matches next weekend. MCS 1 will face SIS 2 with the winner battling MHS 1; MHS 2 will challenge MHS 3 for the right to duel GCA 2; Tinian will take on MHS 4 with the victor colliding against SIS 1; and Rota will square off against MCS 2 for a chance to meet GCA 1.

Three wins in last Saturday’s final set of preliminary matches allowed GCA 1 to take one of the Top 4 seedings in the playoffs. The Lady Eagles’ three victories were against MHS 4 on Court 2, 21-6; MHS 3 on Court 3, 21-9; and MHS 2 on Court 4, 22-20.

Other results on Court 4 had SIS 1 topping MHS 2, 21-15, SIS 2, 21-14, and MHS 4, 21-8, and MHS 3 outclassing MHS 3, 21-11. On Court 3, GCA 2 won over MHS 3, 21-9, SIS 1, 21-13, and MCS 1, 21-9; and MCS 1 prevailed over MHS 3, 21-16, and MCS 2, 21-10.

On Court 2, GCA 2 routed MCS 2, 21-3; SIS 2 also eased past MCS 2, 21-7; MHS 4 defeated MCS 2, too 21-13; MHS 2 handed MCS 2 another beating, 21-12; and MCS 1 edged SIS 1, 21-14.

Meanwhile, in the lone make-up game played last Saturday, MHS 3 won over SIS 2, 21-15.

With the girls division completing the preliminary matches, the 10 teams in the boys field will take the courts this weekend to determine the seeding for the playoffs.

MCS 1 leads the boys division with its 6-0 record and is followed by MHS 1 (4-1), GCA (3-1), MCS 2 (3-2), SIS 2 (3-2), MHS 2 (2-4), SIS 1 (1-3), MHS 3 (1-3), Agape Christian School 1 (1-4), and Agape 2 (0-4).