THE Grace Christian Academy Eagles continue to soar high in the sport of volleyball as their girls middle school team bagged yet another title after defeating the Tanapag Middle School Tatagas 21-1, 21-15, on Saturday in the division finale of the NMIVA-PSS Interscholastic Volleyball League at the Marianas High School gym.
After Tanapag Middle School eliminated Saipan International School in the losers bracket, the Tatagas entered the finals against the undefeated Eagles.
TMS scored the first two points, but the momentum quickly shifted toward GCA thanks to Sofia Gomez’s consistency on the serving line, scoring over 10 straight points to seize the lead, 15-3.
TMS did not show any signs of giving up but GCA was unstoppable, winning the first set, 21-9.
In the second set, TMS had another strong start and led 7-6. However, their errors allowed GCA to take over the driver’s seat.
GCA’s Ella Hall, Llyana Jirah Libut, Dianna Zheng and Ana Villagomez worked together and utilized the three-touch strategy to finish with several spike returns that TMS could not handle.
Down 10-17, TMS tried to stay alive, but GCA eventually scored the points needed to secure the set, the match, and the championship.
“It’s the best [feeling],” said GCA Coach Cesar Libut. “They worked so hard to defend the title…. Every team improved this year. Tanapag gave a good game, pushed us to our limits,” he added.
GCA worked well as a team with an emphasis on the bump-set-spike approach and it is something that Coach Libut believes will pay off in the near future.
“We’re trying to prepare them for high school, so at an early age, it becomes a huge advantage to learn the setup which we have been practicing every day and it paid off,” he said.
Several GCA players will move to high school in the next school-year including Sofia Gomez who celebrated twice as hard as she won the title on her birthday.
“I feel like we did our best. It feels better that we won it on my birthday,” said GCA’s 14-year-old team captain.
Grace Christian Academy’s volleyball team members pose with their medals, perpetual trophy and the CNMI flag after defeating Tanapag Middle School in the girls middle school division championship of the NMIVA-PSS Interscholastic Volleyball League on Saturday at the MHS gym.
A Tanapag Middle School student attempts a spike return against Grace Christian Academy during the girls middle school division championship of the NMIVA-PSS Interscholastic Volleyball League on Saturday at the MHS gym.
Grace Christian Academy’s Sofia Gomez connects the underhand serve during the girls middle school division championship of the NMIVA-PSS Interscholastic Volleyball League on Saturday at the MHS gym.
