TEN TEAMS OPEN BOYS VOLLEBALL SEASON

By Charlotte Oh

In the ISA/IIAAG Boys Volleyball League season opener, the Notre Dame Royals overpowered the John F. Kennedy Islanders in a four-set battle Tuesday night. Playing in the JFK gym, the Royals showcased their preparation for the season, winning 25-11, 21-25, 25-17, 25-17. 

Two ND seniors, Daryl Peredo and Caleb Pereda, led the offense – Peredo finished with 10 kills and three aces, while Pereda contributed another 10 kills and one ace. 

Pereda shared, “Winning obviously feels good. It’s a good start to the season… It shows that our hard work paid off.”

Peredo also noted the significance of the victory, “I think winning definitely made a statement for us, but it doesn’t just stop here. We have a lot more games and a whole season in front of us, so we’re just trying to build the chemistry.” 

First Set

The Royals demonstrated their experience on the court, with the entire varsity team returning from last year. The game started with the Royals gaining an early lead after a hit off the JFK blockers. A successful tip from Pereda pushed the Royals up 8-5. Libero Davyn Paet played a key role in the strong defense, digging up hard hits to start plays.

The Islanders, still trying to find their rhythm, were called for multiple out-of-rotation errors along with missed serves. This allowed the Royals to go on a long run, reaching 14-5, with Takoda Piper setting up Peredo to slam down three kills in the first set. A service ace finished the set comfortably for the Royals, who easily took the first set 25-11.

Second Set

The following set showcased the Islanders’ ability to fight back despite the first set’s score gap. They came out aggressively, with JFK’s Camden Theodor crushing the ball into the floor to take control of the game. Theodor ended the night with seven kills. Jefferson Simina was another vital player for the Islanders, shutting down the Royal offense with huge blocks at the net. 

With the Islanders leading 1-4, the Royals were kept on edge. The Islanders cut down on mistakes compared to the last set, and both teams went back and forth throughout this set. ND’s Peredo swung fast past the blockers while Pereda served up a short ace to keep the Royals in the game. However, the Royals ultimately fell behind 15-20. A few mistakes later, the Islanders took the second set 25-21. 

Third Set

The Royals came back out with better focus in the third set, while the Islanders struggled with communication. The Royals’ consistency in serving proved crucial throughout the game, as the Islanders faltered in this area.  “Our biggest goal this year was serving because last year we missed a lot of serves. But this year our consistency on serving was a big key for us preparing for this season,” Pereda noted. The Royals took the third set 25-17, with only one more set needed to secure the game.

Fourth Set

In the final set, the Royals kept their momentum going with kills coming from Kaden Cruz and Nicholas Pereda to lead 5-0. Quick sets from Piper to Timothy Gumataotao continued the aggressive play along with kills from the outside gave the Royals the upper hand at 21-13. They continued to dominate over the Islanders and finished up 25-17, securing their first win of the season. 

Pereda shared, “Trusting one another and just leaving it all on the court was the best strategy for us tonight.”

In the JV game, the JFK Islanders defeated the Royals with a score of 25-18, 25-17.

The Royals will move on to play the preseason and defending IIAAG champion FD Friars on Friday down south at the ND gym. 

Fourteen teams make up the combined league. As was the other sports this season, boys volleyball has combined both the ISA and IIAAG leagues for the first time in six years.

OTHER GAMES

FD def. GW 25-22, 25-23, 22-25, 25-24

Sanchez def. St. Paul 25-19, 25-20, 25-19

Okkodo def, Guam High 25-18, 26-28, 25-15, 25-9

Harvest def. Guahan Charter School 25-8, 25-7, 25-11