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By Kolby Chang

Dolphins Tianna Sakaba blocks Royals Destiny Castro’s spike for the final point of the game. (photo by Jose Perez)
The defending champion Southern Dolphins are making waves in the Independent IIAAG girls’ Volleyball League after taking care of business against the Notre Dame Royals at the newly renovated Southern High gym. The Dolphins dispatched the Royals 25-18, 25-18 and improved their record to 3-0, while dropping the Royals to 0-3.
In spite of their quick start, Dolphins’ coach Jaret Sanchez knows repeating as champs is a tall order so he is keeping the team focused on the task at hand. ‘We teach the girls to be humble and we teach them to work hard,’ Sanchez said.
In addition to their unblemished record, the Dolphins finally have a gym to call their own so defending their home court is something senior Tianna Sakaba and her teammates do with a sense of pride. ‘It encourages us a lot instead of going to community gyms,’ Sakaba said.
The Dolphins were tested by a feisty Royals team that wouldn’t go away quietly. After being up by as much as six points in the first set, the Royals carved the lead to four following a tip from Britney Blau to make the score 20-16. Just when it seemed the momentum was about to shift over to the visitors, a string of errors put the match at set point and Sakaba closed it out for the home team when she tipped the ball past the defense.
Brittany Quinata gave the Dolphins a nice 2-0 lead after some fancy serving, but the Royals fought back and tied the game at 3 apiece after Destiny Castro crushed down a kill. Castro followed that up with a big block to give the Royals their first lead of the night.
The teams went back and forth until Quinata’s lightning quick ace tied the set at 9. A few plays later Sakaba continued to put her stamp on the game by hammering down another kill to make the score 11-10. The Royals tried to get back into the game but a series of miscues enabled the Dolphins to go up 16-12.
Later in the set Zoe Surber fired off an ace and the Dolphins were up 19-13 and had the Royals on the ropes as miscommunication continued to plague the visitors. Castro tried to breathe life into her team with a kill late in the set to make the score 23-17 but it proved to be too little, too late. Sakaba then displayed some of her defense prowess and had two consecutive blocks to send the Royals home.
Sakaba was proud of her team’s win last night but deflected credit for a strong individual performance.
“Without my team, I’m nothing. Without each other, we’re nothing. It’s not just a one man show and I’m so proud we’ve made it this far,” Sakaba said.
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GPS Sports Calendar
February 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for January
1st
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
2nd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
3rd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
4th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for February
6th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
7th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
8th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
9th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL FINALS
Events for February
12th
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 2
Events for February
13th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
14th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
15th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
16th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
17th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
18th
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2K/5K
World Athletics Cross Country Championships
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for February
20th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
21st
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
22nd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
23rd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
24th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for February
24th
Events for February
25th
Events for February
27th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for February
28th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL FINALS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS

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