Early wins for SIS, SSHS

Saipan International School’s Maria Gregoire spikes the ball during the second set of their game against Marianas High School in the 2018-2019 PSS Interscholastic Volleyball League last Tuesday at the MHS Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Saipan International School and Saipan Southern High School earned outright victories over their respective opponents in the girls high school division of the 2018-2019 PSS Interscholastic Volleyball League last Tuesday at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

The Geckos eased past MHS in the first set, 25-11, and then labored through a 25-20 victory in the second to take the early win. The Geckos and Lady Dolphins went back and forth in the second set before SIS managed to gain cushion in the later part of that period, taking a 19-14 lead. However, MHS refused to give up and rallied within two, 19-21, forcing SIS coach Mili Saiki to call timeout.

The lull worked to the Geckos’ advantage, as Maury Zon Tybaco scored off a spike and SIS got another point from MHS’ shot that hit the net for a 23-20 lead. The Lady Dolphins scored their 20th point off the Geckos’ error and that was the former’s last, as SIS moved closer to victory when MHS’ spike went wide off to the backline. Then SIS’ Maria Gregoire countered with a kill that the Lady Dolphins failed to return with the ball ramming into the net and falling down.

The SIS-MHS tiff was played on the south court, while over the north side, Saipan Southern swept Agape Christian School. The Lady Rays duplicated the Geckos’ automatic victory after posting a 25-7, 25-10 win over the Torchbearers. Saipan Southern went on to complete the shutout after easing past Agape in the third set, 15-5.

In other results, Mt. Carmel School and Grace Christian Academy also won their respective games last Tuesday.

The Lady Knights challenged MHS in an earlier game and eked out a 26-24 victory in the first set. It was a come-from-behind win for Mt. Carmel, as it faced a 5-12 deficit midway in the opening set and MHS was still ahead, 21-18, when the Lady Knights fought back to steal the victory.

Then in the second set, Mt. Carmel was in control from start to finish for a 25-17 triumph that gave the squad the outright win. MHS and Mt. Carmel still played the third set (as per tournament rules) and the Lady Dolphins finally prevailed, 15-8.

GCA also swept Kagman High School in the first two sets before the Lady Ayuyus took the third. GCA cruised to a 25-10 win in the opening set and got the early victory after dominating Kagman anew in the second, 25-10. The Lady Ayuyus averted a shutout loss by taking the third set, 15-8.

Meanwhile, MHS (2) and Mt. Carmel’s junior varsity teams and GCA JV and MHS JV 1 were also scheduled to collide last Tuesday, but results of their games were unavailable as of press time.

Today, four regular matches and two make-up ones will be played. In the first tiff at 4:30 on the north court, Mt. Carmel will face GCA, while Kagman and Saipan Southern will square off on the south side. In the second games at 5:30pm, Mt. Carmel will meet Agape on the north court and MHS will take on Kagman on the south. For the pair of make-up games at 6:30pm, Agape and MHS will duel on the north court and GCA clashes with Saipan Southern on the south end.

The girls high school division is still in the first round of the regular season, which is scheduled to wrap up on Oct. 11. The double-elimination playoffs will then take place on Oct. 12 and 13 with Rota and Tinian squads joining Saipan teams in the battle for the division crown.