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By Niko Bulaon

Okkodo’s Jeddou Antonio puts it past league MVP Reed Meyer as the Bulldogs advance to the semifinals. (photo by Jose Perez)

It’s down to the final four teams in the IIAAG Boys Volleyball League as the GW Geckos, JFK Islanders, FD Friars and Okkodo Bulldogs move on to the semifinals on Monday night.

The fifth-seeded Okkodo Bulldogs stunned the fourth-seeded St. John’s Knights in a two-set thriller, 26-24, 25-19, at the St. John’s Gym.

At the beginning of the first set, the Knights started the game with jittery feet, causing multiple errors to give the Bulldogs a small run, but this ended when MVP Knights’ Reed Meyer sent a kill and a block to get his team going.

McDonald’s Player of the Game: Aaron Blaz

The Bulldogs gave their opponents a hard time with Aaron Blaz and Jeddou Antonio on their side. Huge blocks from Antonio brought his team up by five points. With the Bulldogs looking to dominate, Meyer cut his opponents’ lead, bringing the Knights within inches of taking the first set. At 24-24, the Knights caused yet another unforced error, and the Bulldogs took the set with a kill from Aiden Ferrara.

“We just really had to key up on their big hitters,” said Blaz about his team’s performance. “We also had to focus on the passing and the defense – mostly defense.”

With one set under their belt, the Bulldogs came into the second, just like the first: causing their opponents to commit errors, only to be ended by Knights’ TJ Atalig with a big kill. The Knights stayed in the game, but their errors grew in number. Unanswered kills from Blaz had the Bulldogs leading.

All-Island outside hitter Aaron Blaz guides his Okkodo Bulldogs to the semifinals with a mild upset over the 4th-ranked St. John’s Knights. (photo by Jesse Castro)

As the Knights tried for a come back, three consecutive aces from Blaz and multiple errors by the Knights turned the favor around, giving the Bulldogs a six-point lead. Meyer and Atalig tried to keep their team in the game, but Blaz had other plans, ending the second set with a series of hard-hitting kills and taking home the win.

“I’m happy with the win, I’m happy the boys stepped up coming from a loss [against the Knights] in the season, but we still have a lot to work on,” Blaz said about his team’s win.

When asked about how he feels his team will do during the rest of the playoffs, Blaz commented: “I know we can play at our full potential, but we just got to keep working hard. We’re going against a big team next week, so we really got to keep practicing, play together, and play Okkodo volleyball.”

IAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL QUARTERFINALS

GW (#1) def. GAA (#8) 25-11, 25-19 (Maluwelmeng 9 kills, 7 aces)
JFK (#2) def. St. Paul (#7) 25-16, 25-15
FD (#3) def. Harvest (#6) 25-22, 25-9
Okkodo (#5) def. St. John’s (#4) 26-24, 25-19

MONDAY SEMIFINALS (UOG Field House)

#3 FD vs. #2 JFK 5:30 p.m.

#5 Okkodo vs. #1 GW 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY FINALS (UOG Field House)

Consolation Game 5:30 p.m.

Championship Game 7 p.m.

LIVE on www.guamsportsnetwork.com!

PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Daniel Del Carmen serves it up to the Bulldogs in their quarterfinal match Friday night. (photo by Jose Perez)

League MVP Reed Meyer goes up for a kill in the Knights quarterfinal loss to the Bulldogs. (photo by Jose Perez)

The one-on-one battle at the net features Okkodo’s Jeddou Antonio and St. John’s Reed Meyer. (photo by Jose Perez)

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