Top teams advance at PIC

All of the top seeded teams advanced in the 8th Annual Miller Lite Coed Four-Person Volleyball League playoffs but the outcomes were anything but predetermined at the Pacific Islands Club when the Blue and Yellow divisions brought their best to the sand.

After finishing second and third in their respective divisions, Pulullun Part II and Luther’s Ride put on a show so big that Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association president Jon Cramer set up his schedule to officiate the opening contest of the quadruple-header.

Bolstered by sweet sets from Gin Gridley, perfect passes from captain Luther Taylor, and the hammer brothers—Adam Hardwick and Dan “Barno” Westphal—Luther’s Ride took the first set, 11-6.

Taylor squad looked like a sure thing for the next round when they took an 8-7 lead in the second set, but Ken Tanzawa ripped off four straight power serves for Pulullun Part II to even the set count at one apiece.

While all four of the starters were playing well, Luther’s Ride failed to use one of its best weapons as Kelley Butcher remained on the sidelines for the third set. Without the benefit of one the best playmakers on the court, the Riders fell behind early 5-2 in the clincher as Apple Sampson and Tanzawa scored crushing blows at the net.

Pulullun Part II surged to a 10-6 lead thanks to big plays from captain Michael “The Aussie” Ray, but Westphal, Hardwick, Taylor, and Gridley closed the gap to 10-9 before losing serve.

Rookie Su Jung Lee’s moon ball serves troubled Luther’s Ride throughout the night and the game ended when Westphal’s crosscourt spike landed an inch outside the line for Pulullun Part II’s final point.

The second battle also went the way of the higher seeded squad as Taula Peter’s Dingleberries swept E.J. Lee’s Battered Fish Sticks in a pair of closely contested sets on the San Antonio sand.

Peter and left-handed hitter Jess Palacios provided the firepower, while Linda Anastacio’s surprisingly speedy underhanded serves got the Dingleberries started off in the right direction.

After taking the opener, 11-8, Peter’s pounders turned up the intensity as Jeff Elliot traded his paint for passes in the second, while Evan Hunsberger coached from the sidelines.

Bruce Berline sent a number of lasers to the sand, but the sweat he left on the court was not enough to overcome the Dingleberries in the clincher as they fell, 11-6.

The final two matches pitted the first and fourth place teams against one another as the Yellow Division champs, We’re All Going Streaking, broke out the brooms on Dolphins-Just Wanna Have Fun.

The students from Marianas High School played tough and brought a pack of fans to the PIC but they were unable to sink Dale “Dread Pirate” Robert’s Streakers. With a squad-full of experienced players and a considerable height advantage, We’re All Going Streaking took the first set with ease, 11-4, before punching its ticket to tonight’s semifinals in the second set, 11-2.

Scott Eck’s first place Kraken did the same in the finale as the Blue Division’s top team took two of three from the Saipan International School Geckos to close out the night’s action.

With an injured Chris Nelson unable to take the court, Kraken relied on big plays from captain Eck, Randy Steele, Laurie Peterka, and Beverly Cabanatan to get the job done. They made quick work of the Geckos in the first set with a lopsided 11-1 win, but Kraken was on the losing end of an 11-8 score when the students rallied to even the set count at one apiece.

With the semifinals on the line, Kraken buckled down on defense and hammered out points at a rate to fast for SIS in the rubber match to advance with an 11-3 win.

The action continues tonight when top-seeded Kraken faces Pulullun Part II at 5:30pm, but Kraken will be shorthanded without the services of Nelson and Steele. The Dingleberries try to pull off an upset over the undefeated Yellow Division champs We’re All Going Streaking at 6:30pm. The winners from both games will meet up in the championships at 7:30pm followed by the third place battle between the losers at 8:30pm.