Lady Dolphins sweep opposition in HS v-ball

Marianas High School’s Tamia Hix jumps against an Agape Christian School blocker to gain a point in the varsity game of the Public School System Girls High School Volleyball League 2022-2023 last Tuesday at the MHS Gym. (LEIGH GASES)

All three Marianas High School girls volleyball teams won their respective games in the continuation of the Public School System Girls High School Volleyball League 2022-2023 last Tuesday at the MHS Gymnasium.

This was in stark contrast to the previous two playdates of girls high school volleyball when the Lady Dolphins left their home gym with no wins.

In the final set of games, the Lady Dolphins varsity team played against a strong Agape Christian School varsity team and won, 22-20, 15-21, 15-8.

Earlier, the MHS junior varsity team went up against Grace Christian Academy’s own JV team and the Lady Dolphins prevailed, 18-21, 21-12, 15-10.

MHS 9 JV actually scored the Lady Dolphins’ first win of the day when they beat Saipan International School’s JV team in three sets, 21-10, 19-21, 15-11.

Christine Wood Saunders, who is an LA2 teacher and is helping coach MHS for the first time, said she felt “good about the win because we have three teams and all three won today… We had practice over the weekend and we really drilled them Saturday morning. It’s good that they took what they learned in practice and applied it in the games.”

She added that some of the players don’t know each other too well so “an important part was having them play as a team. We had them scrimmage together, pass to people that they don’t regularly talk to, so that they could get comfortable with each other, and I think once they became comfortable that’s when they started playing like a team and they’re able to pull it off today.

All three MHS teams are now 1-1 in the high schools girls volleyball standings.

The MHS varsity team includes Raenna Rogolifoi, Tamia Hix, Kina Rangamar, Rizza Relucio, Elaina Manglona, Julie An Capayas, Marielle Lopez, Angel Roligat, and Kalista Klaver.

The MHS JV team is composed of Hyun Ah Cloie Seo, Daejah Benavente, Tina Rose Kapwich, Liorah Serrilo, Althea Surima, Sherry Zhu, and Shawna Castro.

Jenica Hidalgo, Seolyn Abbie Kim, Jovinia Moses, Ava Deleon Guererro, Kevina Tababa, Davalyn Ham, Leilani Attao, Ale’a Duenas, Ikeesha Aquiningoc, and Sheenah Gatdula make up the MHS 9 JV team.

In the other games, Saipan Southern High School’s JV beat Mount Carmel School, 21-19, 21-19.

Kagman High School JV defeated ACS JV, 21-15, 21-16.

And in the last varsity game of the night, MCS defeated SSHS in three exciting sets, 21-13, 8-21, 15-6.

Currently in the junior varsity standings, SSHS JV is on top with 2-0 win-loss record, MHS JV, MHS 9, ACS JV, GCA JV, KHS JV are at 1-1, MCS JV is still at 1-0, and SIS is at the bottom at 0-2.

In the varsity standings, GCA and MCS are on top at 2-0, MHS is at 1-1, SIS is still at 1-0, KHS is still at 0-1, and ACS and SSHS are at the bottom with 0-2.

The Public School System Girls High School Volleyball League 2022-2023 is being held with help from the Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association.