Girls HS indoor volleyball kicks off

Kagman High School and Saipan Southern High School 1 players in action during their NMIVA-PSS Interscholastic Girls High School Volleyball League 2021-2022 game last Tuesday at the Marianas High School Gymnasium. (Mark Rabago)

Girls high school volleyball returned with a bang last Tuesday with a six-match schedule at the sweltering hot Marianas High School Gymnasium.

Results of Day 1 of the NMIVA-PSS Interscholastic Girls High School Volleyball League 2021-2022 season saw Saipan International School 1 get the better of Marianas High School 2, 25-19, 25-19, and Grace Christian Academy 1 top Mt. Carmel School 1, 25-12, 25-11, in the 4:30pm scheduled games.

The 5:30pm games then saw Kagman High School rally from one set down to upend Saipan Southern High School 1, 25-27, 25-9, 15-6, and MHS 1 wipe the floor clean of SIS 2, 25-4, 25-12.

GCA 2 and MCS 3 also won their initial games in the 6:15pm matches. GCA 2 outlasted MCS 2, 13-25, 25-22, 15-9, while MCS 3 needed three sets to upend MHS 3 in a cliffhanger, 25-23, 11-25, 16-14.

Public School System athletic program director Nick Gross said he’s just relieved that indoor 6×6 high school volleyball is back after the season was cancelled the past couple of years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing reconstruction from Super Typhoon Yutu.

“Volleyball is alive and kicking! After nearly two years of wait, indoor [volleyball] is back! It was a homecoming of sorts without all the pomp, but the excitement was electric and sweltering!” he said.

Gross admitted that conditions were not ideal as MHS’ air-conditioning system is still down. He also thanked the Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association for helping to hold the league.

“We’re very hopeful that the gym air-conditioning system will be restored by the second semester, but nobody playing seemed to care. Great action all around and so very happy to have the support of NMIVA! Thanks to everyone for supporting athletic programs!” he added.

Aside from the exciting matches, the start of the girls high school volleyball season was also heightened by the enthusiastic support of the participating school teams’ respective student body that filled the MHS Gym.

Day 2 of the NMIVA-PSS Interscholastic Girls High School Volleyball League 2021-2022 resumes today and will have SSHS 1 taking on GCA 2 and MCS 2 facing SIS 2 at 4:30pm. The 5:30pm matches will then have GCA 1 squaring off against SSHS 2 and MHS 2 duking it out with MCS 1. The 6:15pm playdate will then feature KHS against SIS 1 and MHS 1 against sister team MHS 3.