Veterans clinch first finals berth

The Veterans swept Local Motion in their best-of-three semis series to bag the first finals berth in the 2014-2015 Saipan Rocball League at the Marianas High School last week.

Kathy Winkfield scored a goal off a serve in the Teachers’ semis match against the Benchwarmers last week in the 2014-2015 Saipan Rocball League at the Marianas High School Gymnasium. (Contributed Photo)

The Veterans juiced out Local Motion in Game 1, 56-28, before pulling off a 47-41 overtime victory in Game 2 to wrap up the short semis series and march into the finals first.

In Game 1, the Veterans dominated Local Motion, winning all four sets, 14-8, 16-7, 13-3, and 13-10.

In Game 2, it was a different story, as Local Motion came out more prepared and gave the Vetarans a tougher time. Local Motion drew first blood, prevailing in the first set, 15-8, before the Vetarans fought back in the second, 13-2.

The Veterans made it two in a row with a 14-7 triumph in the third set, but failed to secure another juiced-out win as it dropped the fourth set 6-13. After regulation, the Veterans were ahead, 41-27, but since they lost the fourth set, Local Motion remained in contention. Rocball rules give the leading team the win only if it also tops the fourth set. If not, the game will go into overtime with the leading team needing to get only one victory and the trailing squad having to prevail twice.

The Veterans went on to end Local Motion’s finals hopes with a 6-4 triumph in the extra frame.

With the sweep, the Veterans now have to wait for the victor of the other semis pairing between the top-ranked Benchwarmers and the Teachers.

The other Final Four duel is tied, 1-1, with the Teachers taking Game 1, 54-30 and the Benchwarmers battling back in Game 2, 56-49.

The Teachers, who notched the last semis berth after eliminating Oba Squirt, handed the Benchwarmers their first loss in the league after ruling Game 1 of Final Four showdown, 13-5, 14-10, 14-12, 13-3.

Despite missing a perfect record, the Benchwarmers quickly regrouped and avoided the Teachers’ upset axe with the big win in Game 2. The Benchwarmers were all business in the first two sets, 12-0, 12-11, before dropping the third, 9-14. In the fourth set, the opposing teams battled back and forth with the Benchwarmers showing poise in the end, escaping with a 14-10 victory to even up the series.

The deciding Game 3 was scheduled yesterday, but results of the match were unavailable at press time.

In related news, the Teachers’ Kathy Winkfield made history in Saipan Rocball after scoring a goal off a serve in last week’s semis matches. According to Saipan Rocball creator James Feger, Winkfield was the first player on the island to earn that feat.