SCA girls wins back to back NSSSA volleyball champs

Belize City, November 7, 2009

The St. Catherine Academy girls remained undefeated as they won their 2^nd back to back National Secondary Schools Sports Association (NSSSA) volleyball championship, hosted by Gwen Lizarraga High School at the Belize City Center over the weekend.

In Game 1 Friday afternoon, the Northern division champs, the Orange Walk Technical High School girls won 3-2 in the best of 5 sets over the Western division champs, the Sacred Heart College girls. Sacred Heart’s Jhonique Anderson and Kimberly O’brien led the attack, scoring points on plays set by Anijay Quiroz. Kadisha Usher and Eulalie Penner received and volleyed the ball in play while Jasmine Armstrong served to win the 1st set 25-20. Orange Walk’s Amanda Duran, Cindy Hendricks and Kierah Mclaughlin led the sugar city counterattack, scoring points on plays set by Kimberly Williams to win the 2^nd set 25-23. Ginellie Santos and Marla Zavala received and kept the ball in play and recovered to also win the 3rd set: 25-22. The Sacred Heart girls tied the score 2-2 when they won the 4^th set: 25-18, before the sugar city girls clinched their place in the final by a 15-13 win in the 5^th set.

In Game 2, the Central division champs and defending national champs, the SCA girls took out the Southern division champs, the Ecumenical College girls. Emma Hoare and Annalisa Habet led the S.C.A. girls, spiking on plays set by Ashli Habet to win the first 2 sets 25-17 and 25-16. Ecumenical’s Rebecca Rath and Jacky Sabal got some in during the 3^rd set with the help of Leanna Aranda and Clara Sabal to win the 3^rd set 25-23. Ecumenical’s Janae Francisco and Idalia Cortez supported their efforts in an attempt to take the series to a 5^th set before the S.C.A. girls took it away 25-19.

In Game 3 on Saturday morning, the Ecumenical girls won the consolation game for 3rd place over the Sacred Heart girls in 4 sets, even though the Sacred Heart girls won the 2^nd set.

In Game 4 of the championship final, the SCA girls made short work of the Orange Walk Technical High School girls. Krystal Bevans, Kaitlyn Woods and Briany Staine backed up the Habet girls and MVP Emma Hoare to win the first set 25-15. Shanice Skeen and setter Mariceli Novelo relieved Bevans and Staine as the SCA girls continued to dominate in the 2^nd set: 25-22. Orange Walk’s Analiz Perez and Gissellie Quinonez entered the game, but SCA’s Michelle Quan, Johnesha Mariano and Emily Evans kept the SCA offensive going to win the 3^rd set: 25-18.

The champions, and 2^nd and 3^rd place winners received team trophies and individual medals, while the Most Valuable Player award went to S.C.A.’s captain Emma Hoare, who also won a one-year scholarship. The SCA girls go on to represent Belize again at next year’s CODICADER Games in Nicaragua.

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