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| NO STOPPING THIS ONE -- Eagle Caleb Ropp (2) powers a spike past attempted block by Griffin Federico Mathus (4). Jonatan Muñoz, International |
Griffins come from behind to win
By Sung Eun Song
International School
The International boys varsity volleyball team had a little difficulty getting past Christian Learning in the playoff game Tuesday in their home gym. The Griffins lost the first set 19-25, but then took the second set 25-16 and had even less trouble in the third set, winning by 15-9.
International School
The International boys varsity volleyball team had a little difficulty getting past Christian Learning in the playoff game Tuesday in their home gym. The Griffins lost the first set 19-25, but then took the second set 25-16 and had even less trouble in the third set, winning by 15-9.
The win put International into the championship game against Cooperative, which also won.
The first set was very intense right from the beginning of the first set. Both teams fought each other point-by-point, with neither able to open any of them making any great margin over the other. They traded points in long rallies in which the ball went back and forth 15 times or more with both sides making powerful spikes, delicate placements, and intrepid receptions.
. The outstanding players of the first set were Jesse Hallock and Conroy Janzen. Janzen was a great attacker, who fired spikes so keen and sharp that they were completely unblockable. Hallock also played outstanding volleyball, dealing with balls flexibly. Thanks to their cooperative play, Christian Learning team won the first set 25-19.
The second set was a bit different. As both teams were so great technically and physically, the team with fewer mistakes and more fluency started to take control. And that team was the Griffins. During the second set, Juan Narvaez provided exciting moments with little finesse taps just over the net that hit an open spot, and excellent blocking of the opponents’ strong smashes.
The second set was a bit different. As both teams were so great technically and physically, the team with fewer mistakes and more fluency started to take control. And that team was the Griffins. During the second set, Juan Narvaez provided exciting moments with little finesse taps just over the net that hit an open spot, and excellent blocking of the opponents’ strong smashes.
The Griffins gradually built their lead, and won 25-16.
Jaguars pound out decisive victory
The undefeated Cooperative boys volleyball team had too much firepower for Cambridge Tuesday afternoon, and the Jaguars won the match in their home gym in straight sets.
The win puts them into the championship game against International, a team they have battled evenly this season, with each team taking one of the two matches played. In terms of the championship game the big news from this game may have been the return to action of Mateus De Carvalho, who hurt his ankle earlier in the season in a match against Christian Learning. He and senior captain Juan Alfredo Abuawad had served as the twin towers of the Cooperative offense, which last efficiency after De Carvalho's injury.
Neither Carvalho nor the Jaguar team was seriously tested in the match against Cambridge. The bigger Cooperative team served better, received better, and hit harder. The Jaguars won the first set 25-7, and then substituted liberally in the second set, which they won 25-12.
