By Trevor Reed, SCCLC
Even with the notable absence of Eagle star Andre Larsen, they were able to defeat the Knights in the first two sets of play on Tuesday at the International gym.
The Eagles could attribute their success partly to excellent blocking by the net against Knight spikes. The first set started out very evenly with the teams battling for each point. Midway through the set the score was almost tied up with the Eagles ahead 11-10. The Knights and Eagles both were desperate for a win, and it showed. Great saves were made, and the spiking and blocking from both sides was superb. The fans were on the edges of their seats as the score rose to 20-20. The Knights were able to get a 22-21 lead, but the Eagles fought back and won the first set 25-23.
In the second set, the playing remained very even between the teams. Long volley after long volley kept the fans interested throughout the long set. The Knights gained an 11-8 lead, but it didn't last long. With Eagle players Cesar Flores and Wesley Ordoñez played extremely well together in the front, the Eagles finally pulled away from the Knights, gaining an 18-15 lead and eventually winning the set 25-19.
Griffins Defeat Jaguars
By Sung-Eun Song, SCIS
International’s boys varsity volleyball team achieved a dramatic victory over Cooperative this Tuesday, coming from eight points behind at the very end of the second set to win it and take the match 2-0.
This breathtaking confrontation was held at Jaguar gym, where a large contingent of Jaguar fans watched in horror as the second set changed from what looked like a certain Cooperative victory, with the score standing at 24-18, to a Griffin triumph 26-24, that heartened an equally large International contingent
The win put the undefeated Griffins in sole possession of first-place.
The first set began with the Jaguars’ in the lead 6-3, with three kills by Camilo Avila, a star player of the Jaguars. Avila not only had a powerful spiking ability, but also led the Jaguars defensively at the net, picking up most of the blocks.
Josue Abuawad was another outstanding player of the Jaguars, who also greatly contributed to Jaguars early lead. Throughout the match, he played as a great setter, putting the ball in just the right place for his teammates. Throughout the match, he and Avila were a great scoring duo: Abuawad tapped the ball straight up into the air, allowing it to reach an ideal arc, at which point Avila connected with maximum force for a Jaguar score.
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| Photo by Jonatan Muñoz. |
The Griffins won three points consecutively on the service from Juan Sebastian Narvaez, who was a threat from any point on the court, slamming the ball from the back row, or leaping high at the net. Almost every shot from him seemed to be either just out of reach of the Cooperative players or too hot to handle.
The Griffins defense was also bolstered by Santiago Maldonado and Eric Takayama, who successfully dug balls out that seemed almost on the floor, and got them back into the center position. The structural teamwork of Narvaez, Maldonado and Takayama gave Griffins an advantage that they did not relinquish, and finally they took the first set 25-20.
The tide turned again in the second set. The Jaguars seized control of early at 6-2. The momentum was all theirs. The Jaguars continued widening their lead until 8-2. The Griffins regrouped at the break and came back playing more decisively, but they couldn’t change the tide.
Avila again played a vital role in maintaining the Jaguars’ lead. He drove the ball with a high velocity in a straight line at a downward angle making it hard for the Griffins to return. Jaguars Jorge Melgar and Rodrigo Adriazola showed great teamwork as well. When Adriazola set the ball in a good position, Melgar delivered the ball with speed, accuracy, and power, connecting for a point.
The Griffins players, although consistently five points behind the Jaguars, played a good game as well. Francisco Gonzales often spotted empty spots of Jaguars court, threatening the Jaguars aggressively. Santiago Maldonado also did a great job as a defender. He stopped most of the balls from falling to the floor by popping them up slightly, getting the ball ready for the setter.
The score reached 24-18 in Jaguars’ favor, and the victory of Jaguars seemed tangible. However, an unexpected counterattack by the Griffins began. It started with Narvaez blocking a powerful spike attempt by Abuawad. The score became 24-19.
Long and harsh rallies continued, and this made the audience hold its breath. Jaguar fans were hoping for just one more point, and the Griffins fans were hoping for a miracle. At the end of a long rally, the ball from Abuawad hit the net and fell back into the Jaguar side of the court, making the score 24-20.
Then consecutive quick kills Narvaez added two more points for the Griffins, making it 24-22.
Bewildered, the Jaguars called time out, and all the audience stared at the score panel, then at the two teams in turn, holding their breath. After the break, a long rally resumed. At the end of the rally, however, Jaguar Nicolas Handal’s slight error gave the Griffins the point and tied the score at 24-24.
Then the Griffins turned the tables with one more massive spike from Narvaez gave the Griffins the lead, 25-24.
At this point, Takayama, who had been serving flawlessly since the score had the Griffins six points behind, really uncorked one that a Jaguar defender could only slightly slow down to give the Griffins an incredible victory, 26-24.
