Cougars, Knights, Bulldogs, and Panthers eliminated
FRIDAY night action in the IIAAG High School Girls Volleyball League was filled with excitement, intensity, and not to mention – surprises.
The opening round of the playoffs began with four games on the night’s schedule. The upset of the night came in a match pitting the Taga Division fourth-seeded John F. Kennedy Lady Islanders taking on the Gadao Division leaders Academy of Our Lady of Guam Lady Cougars on the Academy home court. With both teams looking to advance in the playoffs, fans in attendance expected a very action-packed game and that it was.
However, at the end of the night, only one team prevailed and advanced into the semi-final round. When it was all said and done, the Lady Islanders stunned the top-seeded Cougars in a three-set thriller. JFK fought their way to a 25-21, 22-25, 25-20 victory.
“We had everything that we needed in order to come out victorious, but we didn’t execute the way we should have,” said Academy Coach Ray Mantanona. “JFK came out to play and they played their best game that night.”
With the victory, the Lady Islanders will move on to the next round to take on the Southern High Lady Dolphins.
Lady Dolphins upends Lady Knights
Playing with a nothing to lose and give it your all attitude, the Southern High School Lady Dolphins travelled north to meet up with a hosting St. John’s Lady Knights at the upper Tumon campus. The two teams took it to one another and needed three sets to decide who would move on to the semi-finals. At the end of the night, the feisty Lady Dolphins earned a hard-fought 26-24, 18-25, 25-17 win to advance.
“Continuing to play together and putting everything out on the court is going to be key for us throughout the playoffs,” said Southern Coach Jaret Sanchez. “We’ve just gotten closer and starting to peak at the right time. We just have to go out every night and play tough and good things will happen for us.”
Defending champions defeat Panthers
Having been down the road to clinching a title, the defending-champion Simon Sanchez Lady Sharks understands what it takes in order to succeed at retaining a title. The ladies from up north will have to take it one game at a time. Hosting the Guam High Lady Panthers on opening night of the post-season is the first step in the right direction. The Sharks proved to everyone in attendance why they are still in the hunt as they ended the Guam High season with a straight-sets 26-24, 25-15 win.
The Lady Sharks will now advance into the semi-final round to take on the George Washington Lady Geckos. The second-seeded Gadao Division Geckos earned their second-round berth after ousting the Okkodo High School Lady Bulldogs.
Playoff action resumes tomorrow night with games scheduled to take place at Okkodo High School.
