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ASVB hosts the President’s Cup and the Samoa Challenge tournaments

So far this is one of the favorites in the 2017 Samoa Volleyball Challenge Tournament, with their supporters always there to wish them good luck during their games. [photo: Leua Aiono Frost]The heated game between Mizuno Boys and the Laumuatasi Mens Team from Pago Pago to vie for the top four teams to play for the championship of the Samoa Challenge Men’s Division. Laumuatasi won this slot during their game on Tuesday evening at Samoana Gymnasium. [photo: Leua Aiono Frost]Action during the Sea Breeze Boys from Vaitogi vs. Laumuatasi Boys team game, during Monday night’s 2017 Samoa Volleyball Challenge Tournament. [photo: Leua Aiono Frost] The Pavaiai Boys team, who played against the Laumua o Tumua from Samoa to vie for a slot in the top four. Laumua o Tumua won the slot after a very tough game.  [photo: Leua Aiono Frost]The Official Corner, where scores were announced and official recordkeeping for the ASVB tournament, 2017 Samoa Volleyball Challenge was done. These officials play a vital part in what’s going on during the whole tournament.  [photo: Leua Aiono Frost]
Both ended this week with exciting play on the courts, and wins on record

The American Samoa Volley Ball Association has seen lots of action lately, finalizing two of its volleyball tournaments — the President’s Cup and the Samoa Challenge this week.

The President’s Cup Volleyball League played its championship game on Tuesday night, while the Samoa Volleyball Challenge League, which began Friday, January 20 and finished off its championship game on Wednesday, the following night.

All games for both tournaments took place at the Samoana High School gymnasium, in Utulei, in the evening.

For the championship title of the President’s Cup 2016- 17 Volleyball Tournament, Laumuatasi Men’s Team, who played against the Mizuno Boys’ Team, proved that the town boys were there to win, and they are the official champions of that tournament.

All the trophies and prizes for both tournaments were awarded at the end of the Samoa Challenge Tournament, Wednesday night, at the SHS Gymnasium

SAMOA VOLLEYBALL CHALLENGE LEAGUE

There were 14 registered teams for the Samoa Challenge Volleyball Tournament, and three of these teams sailed in from Samoa to participate. The tourney has two divisions: Men’s and Under 19.

The Samoa teams were the Laumua o Tumua- Men, All Stars Savaii Samoa 2- Men and they also brought an All Star Under 19 boys team.

By Tuesday night games, the standings of the original 14 Men’s Teams looked promising for the visiting three Samoa teams.

Laumua o Tumua, who is the champion of 2016 Samoa Flag Day and the 2016 Teuila Week tournaments, stayed on top with only one loss to the Sea Breeze of Vaitogi, who shared the top rank with our visiting brothers.

Other standings were: Laumuatasi Men’s Team from Pago Pago tied with Pavaia’i Methodist Men’s Team and Mizuno Boys at 6 wins and 2 losses. Our visiting brothers from Savaii Samoa 2 had 4W to 4L and Dirty Affairs Men’s Team at 3W-5L with underdogs, All Sports God is Great Team, at 2W- 6L status.

Both of the Street Boys Teams, one for each division, were eliminated from the tournament due to unforeseen circumstances after their registration, and did not play.

For the U-19 division, championship game was played on Monday night.

The games showcased Mizuno Boys U19 Team defeating the Laumuatasi Boys Teams for the Samoa Volleyball Challenge U19 Division Championship title. It was a real showcase of stamina; skills and strategic game play for the two teams. They have been rivals from the beginning but slight mistakes in handling the ball, lifts and off spikes cost the Laumuatasi the championship title this time round.

Other games played on Monday included matches between Savaii Samoa 2 and Laumua o Tumua where Laumua o Tumua took both their 2 sets; Laumuatasi Men’s Team from Pago Pago played strongly against the mighty Mizuno Boys team where they snatched both games to stamp the win; and Savaii Samoa 2 battled against the Pava’ia’i Men’s, Pavaiai took the two sets; Savaii Samoa 2 vs. Laumuatasi say the Pago team take both sets; while Vaitogi’s best, Sea Breeze, then matched against the veterans of volleyball “All Sports- God is Great”, lead by Savaliga Afu, with the Breeze Boys taking both games for the win.

The only match to go to three sets was Pavaiai Boys vs. Sea Breeze from Vaitogi. Pavaiai won the first game with very close points, and Sea Breeze came back to get the second. The deciding third set game went to Sea Breeze after hard fought action from both teams.

The highlight of Monday’s action games however happened between Dirty Business from Aoloau and “little” Mizuno Boys team. Talk about Giants against Ants, with the Mizuno Boys stealing the show with two straight wins.

And, since the Street Boys of Fagatogo did not show up for their games, Laumuatasi claimed the win by default.

The fourth day of the Samoa Volleyball Challenge Tournament — Tuesday night — highlighted the high level of skills, physique and competition among the young men of both Samoas. It was harder to defeat each other in a game and points were not so far apart in each set.

However, the weather did not play fair with the tournament, as the SHS gymnasium, while covered, is still open to the wind and rain. The court was soaked and the games were delayed for three hours awaiting ‘clear’ skies.

Games then resumed all the way up to midnight, but were officially stopped by the acting director for the Department of Education Mrs. Ruth Matagi Tofiga, due to complaints from Utulei residents.

“I am really in full support of your games and the sport on the whole, but my dear youth, it is nearly midnight and the gymnasium shouldn’t be opened at this kind of hours, we are formerly closing for tonight, but will resume tomorrow night. Let us handle it with ASVBA officials, so we can alleviate these kinds of timing problems. We have to consider our families nearby.”

She was sorry especially for the fact that games were still in progress between the Sea Breeze and Dirty Affairs Men’s teams — but had to end.

One of the youth just said, “We were trying to dry out the court for our games to proceed, the gym had nothing to prevent the rainwater from getting into it. Otherwise our games would have been over by 10 as programed usually.”

Wednesday night was slated for the championship games for the Men’s Division in the tourney, as was also the night to present awards and trophies for both ASVBA tournaments — the 2017 President’s Cup and the Samoa Volleyball Challenge.