FAMILY AFFAIR -- Griffin captain Ciara Harriague and her mother, International coach Eli Vilar, accept championship trophy from League commissioner Alavaro Ludueña. Jonatan Muñoz, International
Griffins upset favored Jaguars in three sets
The International girls junior varsity volleyball team surprised previously undefeated Cooperative in the championship game played at Cooperative Thursday, as they started and finished strong to take the match two sets to one.
In a match in which both teams seem plagued by bad cases of Big Game Yips, the Griffins were finally the ones who made fewer mistakes.
The Griffins were in command of the match in the opening set moving out to a 16-8 lead, then widening it to 22-11, and, at the end, 25-14.
The second set started out a very even affair, and the teams were tied at 14-14. From that point the Jaguars began to asset themselves, pulling out to a 22-16 lead.
Both teams were plagued by missed serves, and neither seemed to be able to find a steady rhythm. The loud an noisy crowd may have contributed to the players evident nervousness.
International was able to take an early lead in the deciding third set, 8-2. But Cooperative fought back, and egged on by screaming, jumping, hooting fans led by a caped cheerleader wearing a blue Blooming flag, they cut the lead to two at 11-9, and then tied the game at 14-all.
However, the comeback try then foundered on a bad serve and missed reception, and the Griffins won the campionship, taking the final set 16-14.
The line-up for the victorious Griffins was Nicole Sinclair, Irene Vergara, Pamela Suarez, Fabiana Zelada, Katherine Ceballos, Renata Maggi, Ciara Harriague, Carolina Baldivieso, and Ana Laura Gutierrez.
The line-up for the Jaguars was Fabiana Peña, Jessica Maureira, Flavia Cortes, Tamara Paz, Stephanie Knize, Nadia Vaca Diez, Nicole Arias, Celita Guanella, Sofia Vallet, Susana Zankiz, Maria Paula Aguirre, Maria Jose Viacava.
The International girls junior varsity volleyball team surprised previously undefeated Cooperative in the championship game played at Cooperative Thursday, as they started and finished strong to take the match two sets to one.
In a match in which both teams seem plagued by bad cases of Big Game Yips, the Griffins were finally the ones who made fewer mistakes.
The Griffins were in command of the match in the opening set moving out to a 16-8 lead, then widening it to 22-11, and, at the end, 25-14.
The second set started out a very even affair, and the teams were tied at 14-14. From that point the Jaguars began to asset themselves, pulling out to a 22-16 lead.
Both teams were plagued by missed serves, and neither seemed to be able to find a steady rhythm. The loud an noisy crowd may have contributed to the players evident nervousness.
International was able to take an early lead in the deciding third set, 8-2. But Cooperative fought back, and egged on by screaming, jumping, hooting fans led by a caped cheerleader wearing a blue Blooming flag, they cut the lead to two at 11-9, and then tied the game at 14-all.
However, the comeback try then foundered on a bad serve and missed reception, and the Griffins won the campionship, taking the final set 16-14.
The line-up for the victorious Griffins was Nicole Sinclair, Irene Vergara, Pamela Suarez, Fabiana Zelada, Katherine Ceballos, Renata Maggi, Ciara Harriague, Carolina Baldivieso, and Ana Laura Gutierrez.
The line-up for the Jaguars was Fabiana Peña, Jessica Maureira, Flavia Cortes, Tamara Paz, Stephanie Knize, Nadia Vaca Diez, Nicole Arias, Celita Guanella, Sofia Vallet, Susana Zankiz, Maria Paula Aguirre, Maria Jose Viacava.
