By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

DA Lani Kynez kept its semis bid in the World Organized Rocball Community League alive after escaping past Black Magic, 53-48, yesterday at the Marianas High School Gym.
The victory was Da Lani Kynez ‘s first in three games. It now ties Black Magic and the Dublon Chiefs for second place in the team standings in the second round of the annual tournament.
The defending champion Mwaliyas and Watch & Learn are tied for first place with 3-0 slates, while Kich Fairo is at the bottom of the team standings with a 0-2 record.
Only the top four teams after the round-robin second round will advance to the semifinals.
Black Magic failed to grab the solo second spot, as it ran out of tricks in the closing part of the fourth set.
It took the lead in the fourth 10-9, before Da Lani Kynez tied the match at 14-all. Black Magic had a chance to claim the victory in the fourth set, but muffed it when it failed to convert on its serve.
Da Lani Kynez gained a point on Black Magic’s service and ended the match with another point scored off its service, 16-14.
Had Black Magic won, the game would have gone into overtime with Da Lani Kynez needing only a set to finish the game and the former needing two sets to grab the win.
The first three sets of the match and half of the fourth set were played last Tuesday.
Da Lani Kynez drew first blood posting a seven-point win in the opening set, 16-9.
Despite getting a goal from Myron Laniyo, Da Lani Kynez failed to make it back-to-back set wins after Black Magic cruised to a 16-5 triumph.
Da Lani Kynez regained control of the game with a 16-9 victory in the third set. The eventual winner still had the lead, 9-8, in the first part of the fourth when the game was halted as students needed to return to class.
Laniyo was Da Lani Kynez heavy hitter with 15 points on four kees, one ace, one xunx and a goal.
John Nekaifes led Black Magic with fives aces and a xunx for 12 points.
Sixteen aces, four xunxs, 11 kees and a goal were scored in the match.