SIS keeps perfect record in high school v-ball

Saipan International School 1 is still undefeated in the girls high school division of the 2015-2016 Coalition of Private Schools Sports Association Volleyball League as it rallied past Grace Christian Academy yesterday at the GCA court in Navy Hill.

Saipan International School’s Julia Ishikawa serves against Grace Christian Academy during their girls high school division game in the COPSSA volleyball league yesterday at the GCA court in Navy Hill.
(Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Lady Geckos bounced back from an opening set loss, 22-25, and swept the last two, 25-17, 15-6, to notch their fourth win in as many games. The Lady Eagles absorbed their second defeat in three matches.

After the close opening set, SIS 1 and GCA battled back and forth in the first half of the second with the former hanging on to precarious 16-15 lead before the match was halted due to rain.

The game resumed after 10 minutes and the Lady Geckos came out smoking, scoring 6 unanswered points to take a 22-15 advantage. A wide service from Sakura Imaya ended SIS 1’s string of points, however the Eagles gave up three consecutive points to the Lady Geckos—off a service error, a return that hit the net, and another return that went to the sideline—bringing the match to a deciding third set.

In the last set, SIS 1 got off to a good start behind the strong service game of Julia Ishikawa. After a kill from Adele Hudkins, Ishikawa scored three aces and the Lady Geckos added 2 more points for a 6-0 advantage.

Ishikawa served for the seventh time, but her shot was short, giving GCA its first point in the third set. The Eagles were then stuck to one point, while SIS 1 continued to play well and stretched its lead to 12-1. A service error from SIS 1’s Jennifer Tan handed the Eagles their second point and GCA won the next exchange, 4-1, as it was the Lady Geckos’ turn to commit miscues.

A wide return from GCA’s Kimi Tenorio moved SIS within a point of wrapping up the match, 14-6, and the Lady Geckos did it in the next play with Hudkins going for a spike and the Eagles failing to return the ball after only two touches.

Meanwhile, in other results SIS was also victorious in the middle school and boys high school divisions. SIS 1 swept GCA in the middle school game at the former’s home turf in As Lito, 25-13, 25-20, 15-11, while the host also won over the Eagles in the boys high school match, 25-18, 25-21, 15-9.

Three more middle school games were scheduled yesterday, but results were unavailable at press time. Saipan Community School 1 and 2 were slated to duel Agape Christian School and Whispering Palms School, respectively, while the other match was between Seventh Day Adventist and Mt. Carmel School.