
By Robert Balajadia
The JFK Islanders are taking the early season just one game at a time, but not even they could hold back how big Tuesday evening’s win over the St. John’s Knights was. The home team Islanders dispatched the Knights in four sets 23-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-19 to improve to a (3-0 ) record while dropping the Knights to (1-1).
Led by Kiana Rivera’s 15 kills and Frencine Villena’s 11, JFK rebounded from dropping an error filled opening set to rattle off three straight for the big win. The Islanders gave away 16 points off hitting and service errors in the opening set, but cleaned up their act in the later sets.
“It’s a great feeling. We beat them once our freshman year and this time we came in today, fought and managed to come away the victory,” said Villena on taking down the Knights. “We just needed to stay calm and brush off our mistakes and move on to the next play.”

JFK was also aware of the talents on the Knights roster which includes last season’s MVP in Tylee Shepherd and right side’s Hallie Wigsten. Preparing for such a potent hitting squad required the Islanders to rely on a total defensive team effort.
“We just needed to get a touch on [Tylee’s] hits to slow the play down. We needed to responded by playing both good offense and defense equally. Every game is challenge for us and we aim to keep progressing and learning from our mistakes.”
JFK won’t see St. John’s until the at least playoffs with the schedule only pitting each team against one another just once in the regular season. Tuesday’s win could prove big in the final standings if the Islanders and Knights find themselves with identical records with JFK owning the head-to-head advantage.
Game recap
Rivera would score the first three points of the set for the Islanders, but neither team could find their groove as errors piled up for both teams as they battled to a 21-all opening set. A kill from Islanders Kiyoni Yamaguchi would be answered by Wigsten to knot the score at 22, but two errors by the Islanders would put St. John’s ahead 24-22. Both teams would trade errors to end the set 25-23 St. John’s.
Both teams were locked in to another close 2nd set, but a big kill from Shepherd off a long rally appeared to give the Knights momentum as they trailed 18-17. Instead, it would be the Islanders who would ride a wave of plays from Rivera to end the set on a 7-1 run to even the set tally 25-18.
Villena would have the Islanders powering through the 3rd set after securing her third kill of the set to get ahead 16-12. The Knights would battle back after Wigsten would notch a kill to get within 19-18, eventually tying the game at 22. Rivera would get a big kill off an attempted Angeline Del Carmen block to go up 24-23, and a hitting error by Del Carmen a play later would give JFK a two set lead 25-23.
Errors would plague JFK in the 4th set as they let a 20-14 lead get as close as 21-19, but kills from Yamaguchi, Villena and Rivera would be enough for the Islanders to close the set on a 4-0 run, winning the contest.
The Knights will have a BYE on Friday while the Islanders JV team will host GAA.
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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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