By Robert Balajadia

The annual Shieh Volleyball Tournament has reached it’s final game set to feature the IIAAG defending champion GW Geckos and the ND Royals after both teams brought in semifinal wins Sunday evening.

The championship game will be played Monday evening after the tourney was forced to push back their allotted time slots due to the weather conditions brought on by Tropical Storm Goni over the weekend.

With less than a week before the IIAAG season starts, the two teams will battle for early season bragging rights.

ND def. Academy 22-25, 25-18, 15-12

Spoiling the chance at a championship rematch were the upstart ND Royals who got momentum in the second set against the Cougar subs.

Playing a big hand in the matter was all-around athlete Destiny Castro, who fed off of the Cougars second string in the 2nd set after errors buried ND in the 1st set. Castro smashed home three straight kills to take a 20-14 lead late after the Cougars had faulty serves to give free points to the Royals.

Royals middle blocker Sheri Stanley stuffed back-to-back kills attempts by the Cougars to dig into a 24-14 lead.

ND held a 24-14 lead before allowing the Cougars to shave off four straight points, including a ‘heads-up’ play by Cougars middle blocker Tori Smith having the ball bounce off her head from a live ball situation eventually scoring a point for the Cougars. The whole crowd and opposing players and coaches all shared in on the laugh and pure amazement from the play that was unfortunately not caught on camera.

The final set brought back out the Cougar starting six, but Castro would takeover late game once again scoring the Royals final three kills to close out the Cougars in the 3rd set.

ND Royals Sheri Stanley gets a kill through the Cougars middle blockers in the 1st set of semifinals action. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

GW def. JFK 25-12, 25-9

No team is looking more ready for the upcoming 2015 season than last years champs in the Lady Geckos after powering through the young JFK Islanders in the semifinals game.

A close battle in the 1st set had the Islanders in it early after Anita Onedera dug a spike from middle blocker Samantha Quinata which her team used to tie the game at five. Quinata and fellow blocker Jasmine Almougera responded by igniting a 6-0 run off of kills from the pair to take a commanding 15-8 lead.

Geckos outside hitter Sia Duenas got into the action scoring three of GW’s final eight points to cruise to the 1st set victory. The Geckos also enjoyed 2nd set aces from Quinata and Duenas to stifle the Islanders to punch their finals ticket where they will meet the ND Royals.

GW Geckos Jasmine Almoguera times her jump well and gets a hand in on a block. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

Sunday Scores

Quarterfinal Scores:

Academy def. St. John’s 25-8, 25-29
ND def. Sanchez 25-13, 26-24
JFK def. St. Paul 25-17, 25-22
GW def. Guam High 25-14, 25-6