NMIVA: Girls team reaches fundraising goal

Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association president Laurie Peterka happily announced that majority of the members of the girls team reached their goal of raising funds for their upcoming trip to Guam.

Members of Team Aloha, from left, Toni Yamada, Charnessa Lizama, Alfredo Guevarra, and Mychael Omar celebrate their win after beating Underinflated in the 4-aside co-ed beach volleyball tournament last Sunday at the Hyatt Regency Saipan beachfront. (Jon Perez)

The CNMI Girls All-Star team will be competing in the Guam Invitational Volleyball Tournament set in November. Their goal was to raise $1,000 and most of them reached their goal of amassing $200 from pledges from generous donors.

The NMIVA held a fundraising activity from 10am to 4pm last Sunday at the Hyatt Regency Saipan beachside, which included a serving rally.

“An additional $600 alone was collected from today’s Sunday) activities. Not yet included was the serving rally done by the girls and some spectators,” said Peterka.

Each participant in the serving rally will try to make as many serves as they can but the ball must go over the net and should be inside the playing court.

Members of the girls team served overhead or a spike serve while it is anything goes for the spectators division.

A 5-minute time limit was assigned for both divisions while the spectators who joined the serving rally paid $5 each.

The serving rally was a brainchild of CNMI girls’ All-Star coach Codie Sayles.

Adele Hudkins nipped teammate Knohlynn Gechig, 86-85, to win the serving rally among the players. Gerard Van Gils had 191 to rule the spectators division, while Charnessa Lizama had 132 in the overhand category.

“There are people who are assigned to count the serves, but only the balls that went inside the court are counted,” added Peterka.

Earlier, NMIVA also held a 4-aside co-ed beach volleyball tournament with Team Aloha composed of Lizama, Alfredo Guevarra, Mychael Omar, and Toni Yamada topping the competition after beating Underinflated in the finals.

Danica Camacho, Marcy Ann Ermitanio, Julia Ishikawa, Emily Jones, Sabrina Pangelinan, Zarinae Sapong, and Jennifer Tan joined Gechig and Hudkins on the nine-member CNMI girls team with Sayles and Kathy Winkfield as coaches.

NMIVA thanked Hyatt for their logistic support and gift certificates from Kili Café & Terrace; Gold’s Gym Saipan for the 10-day passes, smoothie coupons, and T-shirts; and to the volunteers and supporters who helped in organizing the event.

In other news, Peterka said they are planning to hold a volleyball jamboree next month since the Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization’s new season was put on hold after the Marianas High School Gymnasium was damaged by Typhoon Soudelor.