COUGARS ROAR PAST ROYALS IN RIVALRY GAME

By Shania Bulala

The Academy of Our Lady of Guam Gymnasium was packed as rivals Notre Dame Royals and the Academy Cougars faced off once again Tuesday night.

Academy delivered a thrilling performance, ultimately defeating the Royals in straight sets 25-11, 27-25, 25-18 on a gloomy night in the IIAAG Girls Volleyball League. Leading the Cougars was Junior Landen DeVera, with a game-high of nine kills.

The Cougars, known for their impressive defense and strong hitters, wasted no time asserting dominance in the opening of the first set, taking a lead 7-2. With strong serves and poised defense, the Cougars quickly built a comfortable lead over the Royals by highlighting their every mistake. The first set ended with the Cougars taking it 25-11.

CLOSE 2nd SET

The second set proved to be more of a nail-biter, as the Royals regrouped and fought back hard.
Both teams rallied point over point in a back-and-forth battle that showcased the Royals’ resilience. ND’s offense was putting on a show at the net as Zariah Besabe recorded four
kills in the set, pushing the Cougars defense to their limits. While the Royals led the majority of
the second set, the Cougars managed to push through under pressure by tying the game at the
18th point. The Cougars edged the Royals and claimed the second set 27-25. Fans were out of
their seats as outside hitter DeVera delivered a massive kill to secure the set for the Cougars.

“I think I played pretty well, thanks to my setters, passers, and all my other teammates. They all pushed me and helped our team claim the victory,” said DeVera.

In the third and what would be the final set, the Cougars remained consistent, with precise serves and tactical defense. Despite moments of key plays, the Royals could not overcome the Cougars strength.

The Cougars closed out the match, winning the last set 25-18.

“Our coach, Manny (Guarin), has trained us really well. We have a lot of strong hitters on our bench, strong servers, and strong passers. Our defense has gotten so much better since the beginning of the season. We definitely use all the weapons on our bench as an advantage,” said
DeVera.
Academy remains undefeated as they continue their push toward the playoffs. With their eyes on the championship, the Cougars have proven to be a force to be reckoned with on the court.

“Our goal is to bring the glory back to Academy and again make it to the championship game,”
said DeVera. Tuesday night’s victory only adds to their momentum as they look forward to their
next matchup.

ROYALS JV STILL UNBEATEN
In the junior varsity game, the Royals managed to claim victory as they defeated the
Cougars 25-11, 25-16 to improve to 5-0. Academy falls to 3-2.

NOTE: The beginning of the ISA Girls Volleyball League was to kick off on Tuesday, but all games were cancelled due to the incoming storm.

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