SIS enters v-ball finals

Saipan International School’s Daniel Lim tips the ball in against the defense of Grace Christian Academy’s Josiah Trinidad, left, and Jonathan Libut during the first set of their semis game in the high school division of the COPSA volleyball league yesterday at the Whispering Palms court.
(Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Saipan International School barged into the finals of both the boys and girls high school divisions of the 2015-2016 Coalition of Private Schools Sports Association Volleyball League.

SIS 1 made it to the finals of the boys high school contest after slipping past Grace Christian Academy in thrilling three-set semis match, 16-25, 25-14, 15-7, yesterday at the Whispering Palms hard court. Also played at Whispering Palms’s turf was the upper bracket Final Four pairing between SIS 1 and Mt. Carmel School 2 with the Lady Geckos sweeping their foes, 25-14, 25-16.

While SIS 1 only took two sets to eliminate MCS and advance to this Friday’s championship game in the girls high school division, the former’s boys team needed to bounce back from an opening set loss to avoid the upset axe of GCA.

The Eagles won the first set after building an early 8-1 lead. Jonathan Libut gave GCA a good start, as he scored on a couple of thunderous spikes, while Josiah Trinidad and Billy Hinson held their own against SIS spikers, and Mark Versoza and Matthew Mamaril did a good job receiving the Geckos serves.

SIS, which tried to counter attack against GCA in the opening set, but its spikes were either wide or were blocked by its foes, had to call timeouts three times in the first set to stop the Eagles with the last one made when GCA was pulling away, 22-11. The Geckos then managed to win the next exchange, 7-1 to move within 7, 16-23, but GCA scored two straight points after that off Shun Umezawa’s dink and Libut’s spike to end the first set.

In the second set, SIS started to get into its rhythm, particularly Daniel Lim, who hit kills one after another. He teamed up with Luther Lizama in providing the Geckos a strong presence in the net, while the rest of their teammates were also quick on their feet returning every shot GCA made.

Libut and company tried to match SIS’ powerful kills in the second set, but often times the GCA crew’s shots were too strong, while the Geckos had good ball placements, dropping the leather to unguarded spots. Another wide kill from Libut landed past the backline and gave SIS its biggest lead, 16-6, in the second set. GCA then sliced the deficit to 4, 14-20, after SIS committed some wild shots, but that was the closest the Eagles could get, as the Geckos closed out the set with a 5-0 run to keep their finals hopes alive. Lizama scored three of those points with his block on Mamaril moving SIS to a game point and his kill that dropped to the right side of the GCA court wrapping up the second set.

The Geckos then rode on its momentum in the second set to take an 11-6 advantage in the deciding third set. Again, SIS had good eyes spotting loopholes on GCA’s defense with Lim and Lizama alternately hitting kills for the Geckos and their teammates running after those free balls. GCA, on the other hand, had the same problems, showing too much eagerness in going for spikes and having some miscommunication, as on a couple of occasions two players banged into each other while chasing the ball.

The Eagles sued for time with their season on the line, however when the game resumed Lim scored an ace and Quintin Ramsey made another drop to the left side to move SIS within two points of winning a finals berth.

A Lizama wide spike that went past the backline kept GCA’s hopes alive, but the SIS junior redeemed himself quickly as he went for another kill and this time it dropped inside with Libut and Trinidad failing to block the shot. Ramsey then served for the match point and scored an ace, as his shot fell in front of three GCA defenders, who had yet to establish their positions at the back line.

Meanwhile, results of the other semis matches in the boys and girls high school divisions were unavailable at press time. MCS 1 and SIS 2 dueled for the upper bracket semis at the Geckos turf yesterday with the winner facing SIS 1 in today’s finale in the boys high school category. In the girls high school division, SIS 1 will take on the victor in the GCA-MCS 1 semis showdown in Friday’s title match.