MCS beats SIS in high school v-ball finals

Mt. Carmel School’s Jan Travilla tosses the ball up during the first set of their title game against Saipan International School in the girls high school division of the COPSSA volleyball league last Friday at the Whispering Palms court.
(Contributed Photo)

Mt. Carmel School spoiled Saipan International School’s bid for a sweep in the 2015-2016 Coalition of Private Schools Sports Association Volleyball League after winning the girls high school championship.

The Lady Knights swept the Lady Geckos in last Friday’s finale at the Whispering Palms court, 25-15, 26-24, to prevent SIS from claiming all three division crowns of the COPSSA volleyball league. SIS earlier took the middle school title against Grace Christian Academy and also topped the boys high school division.

The victory was sweet revenge for Mt. Carmel as the Lady Geckos did not only avenge their boys team’s loss to SIS in last Thursday’s finals, but also their 2013-2014 season defeat against SIS when the league first introduced a separate competition for the girls high school.

Karleen Reyes was part of that losing squad and this year she was on the winning side, teaming up with Jan Travilla, Amalina Evangelista, Luisa and Ya Han, and Janika Taimanao in dethroning SIS.

The Lady Knights set up the finals sweep by taking control of the match early, as they raced to an 8-2 lead in the opening set. Reyes and Luisa Hahn combined for four aces, while Travilla scored twice on good ball placement and MCS got the other points off SIS’ errors.

Despite trailing early, SIS did not press the panic button yet and won the next exchange to grab the lead, 13-12. The Lady Geckos capitalized on their ceiling advantage and athleticism to battle back, but they were held to three points in the remaining part of the opening set, while Luisa Hahn closed out strong for Mt. Carmel, scoring the Lady Knights’ last four points off her aces to five her team the 10-point win.

In the second set, SIS and Mt. Carmel battled back and forth with the former recovering from a 19-23 deficit to extend the match. The Lady Knights failed to wrap up the finale quickly as Taimanao hit a couple of wide spikes.

Taimanao then made up for her earlier booboo when she went for another spike, which this time SIS returned, but the shot was wide to the right sideline. With Taimanao’s spike, MCS went up 24-21. A short serve from Evangelista kept SIS’ hopes alive and the Lady Geckos forced a deadlock, 24-all, after another Taimanao’s spike went wide and Sakura Imaya countered with her own spike.

SIS then served and there was a brief exchange before Minami Sakai’s return off a setup from Shirley Qian hit the net, giving the lead back to Mt. Carmel, 25-24. Luisa Hahn served for match point and although the Lady Geckos managed to receive the service, Sakai was caught crossing the line as she went for a dink at the net in the next play, ending the finale in favor of the Lady Knights.