By Robert Balajadia
The 2017 Shieh Preseason Volleyball Tournament tipped off Friday evening with a rapid fire of games at the GW gym, all set to run all weekend, ending Sunday. With the format for each team being a first to 30 points in just one set, teams were given the opportunity to shake off game rust.
Knights earn first tourney win
The St. John’s Knights benefited from a hot 9-0 start off the serving prowess from junior Hana Fernandez. In true GW fashion, the Geckos were never out of the contest after getting a boost from outside hitter Callia Concepcion in the middle of the set, eventually taking a 20-19 lead after a kill and ace from Concepcion.
GW dabbled in some home-court cooking with the Knights struggling to adjust to the low-ceiling with three straight errors digging the Knights down 26-24.
Freshman Tylee Shephard registered her third kill of the set to begin the Knights comeback with errors from GW knotting the score up at 29. Fernandez got a clean pass which translated into a perfect set for outside hitter Hallie Wigsten to end the game with a powerful kill 30-29.
Dolphins sail over Bulldogs
In the second game of the bula-header, the Southern Dolphins played strong from the service line which resulted in a 30-21 win over the Okkodo Bulldogs.
A close game quickly turned into a breakaway with Julia Taijeron serving Southern to a 21-13 lead, part of a 7-0 run full of Okkodo errors.
The Bulldogs posted a 3-0 run for a short rally down 27-21, but Dolphin Cristi-Rose Cruz finished closed the door on a comeback registering an ace in part of their own 3-0 run to end the game.
Dolphins regroup after giving up a point late in the set. (photo by Robert Balajadia)
Action continues all weekend with the best records of pool play moving on to the playoff rounds Sunday evening! Stay tuned for the complete scores from Day 1.
DID U KNOW?
Frank ‘The Crank’ Camacho was a competitive youth golfer in Saipan with dreams of making it to the PGA.
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(AP/Carlos Osorio)
