GCA vs SIS for v-ball crown

Grace Christian Academy’s Karena Torres, left, bends down to receive a serve from Mt. Carmel School-1 during the second set of their semis game in the girls high school division of the 2017-2018 Commonwealth Coalition of Private Schools Association Volleyball League last Wednesday at the MCS court. Grace Christian Academy’s Karena Torres, left, bends down to receive a serve from Mt. Carmel School-1 during the second set of their semis game in the girls high school division of the 2017-2018 Commonwealth Coalition of Private Schools Association Volleyball League last Wednesday at the MCS court. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Grace Christian Academy and Saipan International School will dispute the girls high school title in the 2017-2018 Commonwealth Coalition of Private Schools Association Volleyball League after winning their respective semis matches last Wednesday.

The Eagles advanced to the finals after sweeping back-to-back champion Mt. Carmel School-1, 25-18, 27-25, at the Knights court in Chalan Kanoa, while the Geckos also took only two sets to oust MCS-2, 25-16, 25-15, at the SIS turf in As Lito. The Eagles-Geckos winner-take-all finale will be played today at 3:40pm at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

GCA held its ground against MCS-1’ late rally in the second set to make it to the title game. Four points away from dethroning the Lady Knights and marching into the finals, 21-16, the Eagles missed closing out the semis match in regulation, as they failed to hold the several serves of MCS’ Luisa Han.

Han served after MCS-1 called a timeout and she got her first ace in the second set when the ball dropped at the backline. The Lady Knights went on to score 7 unanswered points to move 2 points away from securing the win and forcing a deciding third set, 23-21, as GCA could not figure out how to return Han’s service.

The Mt. Carmel senior then went for her eighth serve, but this time her shot fell short, hitting the net and halting the Lady Knights rally, as the Eagles sliced the deficit to one, 22-23. GCA later tied the match after a hustle play from Kimmy Dilse, who chased down a ball that the Lady Knights thought was already dropping, as MCS-1 players had already turned their backs away from the play, getting ready to regain possession. Dilse managed to return the ball and this time caught MCS-1’s defense flatfooted to knot the count, 23-all.

The Lady Knights then battled back from that miscue when Han spiked the ball and GCA received it, but a second shot (dink) from Cheska Dalusong hit the net, giving MCS-1 a 24-23 advantage. Jen Villagomez tried to finish off GCA with a spike, but her shot went wide to the sideline, allowing the Eagles to tie the match anew.

The seesaw battle continued with MCS-1 moving up, 25-24, after GCA made three hits and could not return the ball. Then Villagomez went for another spike, but faltered again, for the last deadlock in the exciting second set, 25-all.

Eunseo Choi attempted to bring the lead back to the Lady Knights, but her spike was also way too strong with the ball going over the backline. Now ahead, 26-25, GCA had Karena Torres serving and her shot headed across the right sideline with Choi receiving it, but the latter’s return went over the sideline, giving the Eagles the close win and ending the Lady Knights’ bid for a three-peat.

MCS-1 failed to advance to the finals despite shuffling its players in all two sets, while GCA got the important win after sticking with its key players—Torres, Dilse, Dalusong, Anna Nunez, Jasmine Phan, and Sunny Woo.

Meanwhile, the boys title match between MCS and SIS will also take place today and will be played after the girls finale.