Eight JV teams enter, four teams leave

The Private Schools Indoor Volleyball League playoffs got started with a bang at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium yesterday as four Junior Varsity teams advanced to the semifinal round following a spirited day at the Oleai Sports Complex.

Eight junior varsity squads left campus a little early to get the post-season matchups underway on time as representatives from Calvary Christian Academy, Grace Christian Academy, Seventh Day Adventist, Mount Carmel School, Saipan Community School, Saipan International School, Whispering Palms School, and Marianas Baptist Academy took the rubberized surface.

Whispering Palms School and Mount Carmel School went the distance in their best-of-three matchup to open the competition, but the kids of WPS emerged victorious with a hard-fought win in the rubber match to squeak past MCS.

The same went for the Saipan Community School students, who lost the first set to Calvary Christian Academy, 25-20, before rallying to tie the game at one set apiece with a 25-19 win, and taking the clincher, 15-9.

The second set of matches proved just as exciting as the Marianas Baptist Academy Stormz took two of three from the Saipan International School Geckos on the north court.

The Stormz won the opener 25-18 but lost the highest scoring game of the day, 26-24 to even the score at one set each. MBA coach Stan Good rallied his gray-shirted students together and foiled the Geckos comeback with a 15-8 win in the finale.

Grace Christian Academy didn’t waste any tine in their match with the Seventh Day Adventist team, as they swept them, 25-16 and 25-13, to punch their ticket to the next round.

The winning teams return to the Ada Gym for this afternoon’s semifinals when the Whispering Palms School faces the Marianas Baptist Academy and Saipan Community School squares off against the Grace Christian Academy Eagles at 3:30pm.

The winners will have tomorrow off and return to the Ada Gym for Thursday afternoon’s finals at 3:45pm.

Organizers have moved the varsity players back a week and now get started when Mount Carmel School takes on Seventh Day Adventist on Monday, Nov. 13, at 2:30pm, while Marianas Baptist Academy and Northern Marianas Academy take the other side of the court.

The Geckos of Saipan International School battle with Calvary Christian Academy in the 3:45pm contest to round out the afternoon, while the Eagles of Grace Christian Academy enjoy a first round bye.

Those who win on Monday will join Grace Christian Academy for the semifinals on Tuesday, Nov. 14, for a pair of 3:30pm games, but only the two unscathed squads will play in Thursday’s finals at 3:45pm.