ACTION RESUMES AFTER SINLAKU BREAK

By Paradis J. Fejerang

The Friars and Royals volleyball season resumed Tuesday evening after a week-long pause was held on the IIAAG/ISA Boys Volleyball schedule caused by Super Typhoon Sinlaku, and the FD boys wasted little time reestablishing their rhythm on the court. Facing off against the Royals at the Phoenix Center, Father Duenas secured a four-set victory in a match that showcased both resilience and conditioning. Set scores: 25-17, 25-18, 24-26, 25-16.

It’s been a perplexed season so far, to say the least. The league schedule has changed multiple times, and the typhoon put a huge damper once again. Some teams have played just a couple of times and somehow, the official standings is still a mystery. The updated schedule, however, does show a push back of a week from the original schedule to make up for the lost time. The schedule has been updated on the GSPN sports calendar.

The Friars came out sharp in the opening set, quickly building a steady cushion and maintaining control with consistent execution. Their ability to string together points each rotation allowed them to dictate the tempo early, cruising to a 25-17 win.

Set two brought more resistance from the Royals, who matched Father Duenas point-for-point through much of the frame. However, after the midway mark, the Friars found their way to a late surge creating separation for Notre Dame to manage just one additional point compared to the previous set as FD closed out set two at 25-18.

Player of the Game, Friar Antonio Egurrola, tried to keep the tone up for his team in the third with a powerful opening kill, but the Royals responded with renewed energy. Notre Dame tightened its play, relying on cleaner, more controlled rallies to stay competitive. Despite briefly trailing, the Royals rallied late and edged out the Friars in a tightly contested finish, 26-24, handing FD their only set loss of the night.

The momentum gained by Notre Dame in set three was unfortunately short-lived as FD entered the fourth set determined to avoid a deciding fifth. With sharper passing and explosive attacks, Father Duenas quickly overwhelmed the Royals, who began to struggle with basic ball control. The Friars pulled away decisively, closing the match with a 25-16 win.

While Egurrola led the charge, the Friars’ depth proved equally important. Saul Bamba and Kobe Miyashita provided key support on both blocks and kills, contributing to a well-rounded team performance. Still, the Friars could not diminish the standout strikes that came from the other side of the net for Notre Dame as Piper Takoda stood out offensively, delivering the big kills that would keep his team in contention.

Egurrola continues to lead the Friars in offense with his presence at the net. When asked about the team’s preparation, he kept it simple: “All hard work.” Looking ahead, he expressed confidence in the team’s trajectory. “We feel good – I mean we’re very confident coming from our championship last year. [We were able to keep] most of the same guys [and lost] very few…but we just have to keep working hard in practice, we can’t slack off.”

Now four games into the season, FD appears to be finding its stride after a slower-than-expected start. With several schedule disruptions still affecting the league, both teams are eager to regain momentum as the season continues. FD improves to 4-0, while ND falls to 2-2.

As of now, action resumes Thursday, April 23, with multiple host sites across the island. Harvest is set to host Simon Sanchez, Notre Dame will face Guam High, and St. Paul will take on the Southern Dolphins, though further adjustments remain possible as schools continue to recover from last week’s disruptions.

PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY: