By James Sablan
james@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
IN a dramatic display of resilience and tactical execution, Mount Carmel School secured the girls middle school division championship of the PSS-NMIVA Interscholastic Volleyball League SY 2025–2026 on Saturday, rallying from behind to stun Grace Christian Academy in the title match at the Koblerville gym.
MCS entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed in the playoff round but suffered an early setback after losing to GCA in a preliminary game, sending the Knights into the losers’ bracket.
Undeterred, MCS battled through the elimination round, defeating Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Jr./Sr. High School in a tightly contested three-set semifinal, 21-11, 19-21, and 15-3, to set up a rematch with GCA in the finals.
Because the Eagles advanced through the winners’ bracket undefeated, they began the championship series with a one-set advantage in the best-of-five format, needing only two set wins compared to MCS’ three to claim the title.
In the second set, MCS rose to the challenge, showcasing a dominant serving attack led by Adelle Kautz, Cali Cabrera, and Page Muna, who combined for multiple aces to seize an early lead.
Although the Eagles attempted to rally, unforced errors and MCS’ disciplined defensive coordination stalled the comeback, allowing the Knights to secure the set.
The third and fourth sets followed a similar pattern, with MCS controlling the tempo throughout. Despite strong performances by GCA’s CK Figueroa, Adele Raho, and Stacy Ramos, who produced several aces and relentless returns, MCS remained aggressive and closed out the match with consecutive set wins, 21-16 and 21-18, to clinch its second straight championship.
Following the victory, MCS head coach Francis San Nicolas praised his team’s mental toughness and composure.
“It feels very good — it feels great, actually,” San Nicolas said. “We just focused on one set at a time to get back to the final.”
Asked about overcoming the one-set deficit against an undefeated GCA squad, San Nicolas emphasized patience and fundamentals.
“We were calmer and humbler,” he said. “We played a point at a time, a set at a time. Our serving was really strong toward the end. I told them we couldn’t give away easy points — just get the ball over and see what happens.”
While most of the MCS roster will move on to high school next year, San Nicolas remains optimistic. He plans to hold summer programs to prepare a new lineup as the Knights aim to defend the title for a third consecutive season.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
