GCA Eagles soar to title over MBA

Weeks of high flying bumps, sets, and spikes finally paid off for the Grace Christian Academy Eagles yesterday as they weathered the Marianas Baptist Academy Storm in the championships of the Private Schools Volleyball League in front of a jam-packed crowd at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Led by the league’s most valuable player Stephanie Arnold, the Eagles picked apart their opponents in the first set with a mixture of feather soft sets and supersonic spikes from the strikers. By the time the proverbial dust settled, the Eagles more than doubled up on the Storm in the first set, 25-12, and the domination continued into the second set as well.

After a two-minute break, the Eagles poured on more of the same team play that took them to the top of the standings during the regular season as they bounced MBA, 25-16, to clinch the title with a sweep in the finals.

“It’s a good feeling to get the trophy back finally after two years of being in the running for it. I knew we could do it this year because we had a strong team,” said coach Becky Covarrubias.

The coach wasn’t the only one singing the Eagles’ praises, as MVP Arnold expressed her glee.

“Practice makes perfect. I’ve been saying it for the past eight years already. We did the best we could, and we’ve been waiting for it—we haven’t had it for the past two years already,” said Arnold.

The action never let up in the consolation game that followed, as the Calvary Christian Academy Sharks squared off against the Iguanas of the Seventh Day Adventist School in the race for third place.

Two sets weren’t enough for the pair of power-packed teams, and the Sharks were looking for the fast attack as they swam away with the first set, 25-16, but they were unable to sweep the Iguanas, as they rebounded to tie the game at a set apiece with a 25-22 score in the second.

After a brief break, the teams took the court for a frenzied third and final set that went down to the wire, but the Sharks were able to edge the Iguanas to secure the third place trophy by the narrowest of margins, 16-14.

The is still plenty more on tap for the PSVL as the Junior Varsity teams get their shot in the playoffs this afternoon as the undefeated Saipan International School squad (14-0) takes on SDA (2-12), while MBA (12-2) faces SCS (3-10) at 2:30pm at the Ada Gym.

When they’re finished, MCS (8-6) will take on Calvary Christian Academy (4-10), while GCA (8-6) challenges Whispering Palms School (6-6) at 3:30pm.

The four winners will return to the spooky courts on Halloween, Monday, Oct. 31, for the semifinals, and both the championship and consolation games will be played on Thursday, Nov. 3