
By Robert Balajadia
The veteran leadership of the JFK Islanders senior-heavy team will be relied on quite a lot this season and it showed in just their first game of the season against the Tiyan Titans in Tiyan.
With the new ‘best of five’ format being implemented this year all regular season, JFK put away the Titans in straight sets 25-15, 25-17, 25-18.
Leading the way for the Islanders was middle blocker Kiana Rivera who finished with 12 total kills with a steady pace of three, five and four kills in each set. Rivera’s early kills in the opening set, flurry of kills late in the second and run-ending kills in the third had the Islanders never playing from behind. And knowing that their game nights are going to be longer with the new format, Rivera and the Islanders have been preparing for the grind.

“The past few weeks we’ve been training for this. Tonight we did our best to compose ourselves and focus,” said Rivera on the extra set.
Winning the Shieh Preseason Tournament had already put the league on notice that JFK is playing for keeps this season, but even still, the seniors needed to shake off some first-game jitters. JFK broke away from a 12-all opening set score with a 13-3 run, fueled by two kills and ace from Rivera to go win the set 25-15.
“We’re all still nervous, but we pulled through at the end. We made mistakes but we were able to overcome that,” added Rivera.
Teammate and fellow JFK senior Frencine Villena also had a strong opening set where she would secure three kills as Villena ended the night with seven total.
JFK started to work in their rotations midway through the second set and majority of the third. Errors would keep the Titans close in the final set and head coach Alden Buatista wasn’t too pleased with how his team finished the game. In the post game huddle, Rivera shared that the overall message from her head coach was simple: be better.
“We could do better. Coach expects a lot from us this year and we’re going to do better,” said Rivera.
JFK faces two tough opponents in their upcoming games as they travel to St. Paul Friday and the face last years second place team, the dangerous St. John’s Knights next Tuesday. The Titans will get the weekend off before traveling up North to face the Sanchez Sharks next Tuesday.
PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:









GPS Sports Calendar
January 2021
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 1
- 2
Events for January
1st
Events for January
2nd
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Events for January
3rd
Events for January
4th
Events for January
5th
Events for January
6th
Events for January
7th
Events for January
8th
Events for January
9th
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
Events for January
10th
Events for January
11th
Events for January
12th
Events for January
13th
Events for January
14th
Events for January
15th
Events for January
16th
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
Events for January
17th
Events for January
18th
Events for January
19th
Events for January
20th
Events for January
21st
Events for January
22nd
Events for January
23rd
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
Events for January
24th
Events for January
25th
Events for January
26th
Events for January
27th
Events for January
28th
Events for January
29th
Events for January
30th
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Events for January
31st

MMA/Boxing
YAMAMOTO, AGUON TO END YEAR IN RIZIN 26 RING
Foody’s 5 Fun Facts
NFL Fan Edition: Sherwin Paet
Polls
DID U KNOW?
Frank ‘The Crank’ Camacho was a competitive youth golfer in Saipan with dreams of making it to the PGA.
COMING SOON …
ALL SPORTING EVENTS HALTED DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS ISSUE