Jones lifts SKN over Mwaliyas to even series

SKN’s Dior Jones had an up-and-down Game 2 yesterday afternoon in the World Organized Rocball High School League, starting off strong before slowing down.

But the determined standout kept his composure and continued to help his team the best he could and ended up lifting SKN to a 42-27 victory in o-kon at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

The win by SKN leveled the best-of-five championship series at a game apiece.

Both SKN and Mwaliyas were fighting hard in the overtime set, neither willing to give anything up. They engaged in a long rally, hitting the ball back and forth over the net eight times.

It was then that Mwaliyas’ hard-hitting leader Pedro Iguel went up for a kill, hitting with all his might only to have Jones waiting on the other side, blocking the ball back to Mwaliyas’ corner and into the goal to end the match, leaving Mwaliyas stunned.

Hungry to avenge their Game 1 loss, SKN players entered with a different look on their faces and remained focused throughout the entire match.

SKN skunked Mwaliyas in the opening set for an early 11-0 advantage. Mwaliyas didn’t even get the chance to serve as Danny Peter kept serve for SKN the entire way, nailing a xunk and an ace while receiving solid support from his teammates, who did not commit an error en route to the shutout.

SKN continued to fire away in the second set, opening the match on a 5-0 run highlighted by an ace by Irekson Made. Made connected for a kee and Dennis Camacho zoomed a xunk to give SKN set point and a comfortable 10-1 lead.

Mwaliyas finally responded with Jeremy Winkfield flying high for consecutive kills, but that was all Mwaliyas mustered as SKN managed to close the set for a 12-3 win and a 20-point cushion in the overall tally, 23-3.

Mwaliyas, however, found a way to penetrate SKN’s defense in the third set but only after getting off to a horrific start courtesy of three mishaps on first-serve opportunities.

Down 0-3, though, Mwaliyas got a big break when Iguel bruised the ball for a goal and an ace for a 5-3 lead. Ken Tanzawa followed with a kee and Mwaliyas strolled back into contention with a 12-4 win, cutting the deficit to 12-points, 15-27.

Needing to win the fourth set to stay alive, Mwaliyas began to put on a show, with Darrel Roligat hitting a couple of kees, Iguel pounding away for kills, and SKN losing their grip and committing errors. Much to their satisfaction, Mwaliyas accomplished their goal and sent the game into o-kon with an 11-8 win.

Leading 35-26 entering o-kon, SKN only needed to win one set to end the match, while Mwaliyas had to win both o-kon sets to take home the victory.

SKN was up 4-1 before Jones’ electrifying block closed the match.

Danny Peter and Roligat finished as the game’s heavy hitters, each posting eight points to lead their teams. Peter had two aces, a xunk, and a kee, while Roligat was good for four kees.

“The last game, we were sloppy,” Peter said. “This time, we played hard and tried not to make mistakes.”