Athenas are champs of SVSA Summer tourney

Athenas waged war against seven other teams and came out the champions of the Saipan Volleyball Statistics Association Spring Volleyball Tournament last Saturday at the Agape Gymnasium.

In a five-set championship match to the finish, Athenas battled against Hot Diggers and defeated them in four sets and took three, while Hot Diggers only won one.

The scoreline read, 25-14, 19-25, 25-20, 25-18, in favor of Athenas.

Athenas was made up of the rotation of team captain Jerome Manzon, Jericho Castro, Macoi Aguda, Cecile Guevarra, Madelleen Narciso, Arisa Custodio, Danny Borlain, Beatrice Fabre, and Yeshaiah Coleman.

Hot Diggers included captain Mokywang Kim, Raja Sevugan, Kriszell Esteves, Marc Danga, Katriel Saures, Hye Jin Elliot, Tyran Joe Saures, Sui Yi, Rondelle Apostol, Julie Harrison, and Nehemiah Coleman.

Athenas’ tough starting six solidified a fortress of impenetrable defense and powerful attacks that handed them an easy first set, 25-14.

Hot Diggers bounced back in the second set, 19-25 as they tried to make a push for a comeback and use up all five sets of the championship game, but Athenas flourished in the third set and won, 25-20. 

Due to Manzon’s skillful kills set up beautifully each time by setters Castro and Yeshaiah Coleman, Athenas blew through the third and fourth set with relative ease. 

Hot Diggers mainstays Kim, Danga, and Esteves made the game close with each point they tried to get back from a fast and furious Athenas team. Kim would land his kills past blocks from Castro and Coleman, then the momentum would switch to their side. 

But, the powerful trio of Castro, Coleman, and Manzon buried Hot Diggers with a flurry of points in the first minutes of the last set.

Hot Diggers finally made a point after seven consecutive points by Athenas and came close for just a two-point deficit. 

However, Athenas didn’t let go of the upper hand and sealed the win with unblockable kills by Castro and Manzon, and finally landed the 25th point after staying at 23 when Hot Diggers tried to rally and reach 18 points, for a final 25-18.

In an awards ceremony after the finals, the MVP award of the elimination round went to third place Ball Busterz’s Mike Omar who had 48 kills and two blocks.

Manzon won the MVP award in the round-robin with 53 points, the most kills with 68, three blocks, and the most aces at 17. 

Best Setter went to Yeshaiah Coleman and Most Blocks went to Omar with 5.

Manzon said after the tourney, that it was another great tournament. “As an officer of SVSA, it was another huge success. This time, we’re better prepared because of our experience from the first tournament and I feel like everyone enjoys it too. We come together to show our skills and challenge each other.”

As a player, he said “It’s such a good tournament especially because it’s mixed. It gives an equal advantage to all the teams because the girls and the boys are limited on the court at all times. It was a fun tournament. We’ve never really had co-ed games like these—it’s really nice to have this in the summer, especially as a pastime thing. 

Omar, for his part in winning the MVP award, said he wasn’t expecting it all. As for the tournament, he said “I’m glad these guys are keeping stats because other tournaments, people are just competing for the top place. Now, it gives players a chance to look at what else they can improve in their game,” he said.

The sponsors of the event were Herman’s Bakery, MarPac, and Agape Christian School. SVSA thanked them along with all the volunteers of the tourney.

The SVSA is a new volleyball organization that aims to have frequent volleyball tournaments throughout the year. They had their first SVSA Spring Tournament last March, with Mighty Deez as the first champion.