Teams return to rock IWVBL

The walls of the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium were vibrating from all of the crowd participation on Tuesday night, as the teams returned from the holiday break to continue the nonstop action of the 2004-2005 Island Wide Men’s and Women’s Volleyball League.

The top women’s team in the league got the bumps, sets, and spikes underway in the opening match of the night as Pikan Gaga (3-0) outlasted the Dragons in three sets to create space between them and the She Devils (2-1).

The Gaga girls started off on the wrong foot, as they found themselves on the hurting end of an Aleta Glaze Dragons’ kill-fest. Glaze whomped down three kills in the first set to lead her squad to a 25-11 victory.

The Dragons celebration would be short lived, as Connie Camacho and company returned fire to win the second 25-21, and evened the set count at one apiece. Camacho served up an ace early in the game, and teammate Vanessa Mobel delivered a pair of kills to seal the deal.

It was a race to 15 in the third and final set, but 15 points were not enough to settle this hotly contested display of girl power, as the Dragons were slain by Pikan Gaga, 16-14.

The Floaters (0-2) and the Chuukanos (1-1) did their best to keep up with the action on the men’s side of the court, and judging from the reaction from the crowd, they did their job.

The Chuukanos dominated the best-of-three sets by sweeping the Floaters 25-12 and 25-19. Simson John recorded a pair of aces and a kill for the Chuukanos, Eken Amitaro notched a pair of aces, and Ritrick Masawa served up an ace and a kill in the furious first.

There was more of the same in the second set, as K-fis Raphael and his pair of kills led the Chuukanos to their first victory of the season.

In the second round of games, the She Devils (3-0) found themselves without their top setter, but Frances Somorang answered the call to provide premium passes. Her efforts helped to lift her team to a two-set sweep over the Hitters (1-2), 25-15 and 25-20.

The squad of Somorang, Mayumi Aguon, Jennifer Leskosek, Arcy Moncrief, Emi Oiterong, and Chariss Ruluked looked strong as they extended their unbeaten streak to three games, but the Hitters showed that they have an opportunity to make some waves in the league this year.

The men got the crowd worked up into a frenzy next door on the north court, as No Fear (1-0) and the Proa of Northern Marianas College (1-1) provided them with some high flying maneuvers and high powered spikes.

Gabriel White and his fearless bunch of ballers took to the air to down the Proa, but none of them was higher or more intense than the experienced striker. In the second set, White took a pass from his teammate and struck down upon the ball to finish the game with an exclamation mark.

No Fear spoiled the unveiling of Proa’s new uniforms by sweeping them in two sets, 25-16 and 25-19, but the students are sure to develop under the watchful eye of coach Tony Satur.

All of the indoor action returns to the Ada Gym next Tuesday, Nov. 23, at 6:30pm when the 2004-2005 Island Wide Men’s and Women’s Volleyball League continues its search for possible players for the 2006 Micronesian Games in Chuuk.

For more information, contact either Joe Lizama or Joe Mettao by calling 664-2503 or 664-2508.