
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.
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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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