The middle school JV teams competed in the South Korean Association of International Schools (SKAIS) championship held at home on Feb. 20. The Jets warmly welcomed Busan Foreign School (BFS), International School of Busan (ISB), and a joint squad uniting Atherton International School (AIS) and Gyeongnam International Foreign School (GIFS).
Prior to the tourney, JV split into two — DIS 2 (JV1) and DIS 3 (JV2). DIS 2 consisted of former varsity subs and KISAC starters. The DIS 3 team consisted of rookies who battled under the lead of new captain Olivia Park (number 5).
JV1 kicked off the tournament with an early-bird match against the BFS Sharks. MVP outside hitter Esther Kang (number) led continuous serving streaks as the Sharks faced miscommunication, which enabled a victory with a landslide set score of 25:10.
As they held cadence, Kang delivered unreturned down balls onto the court, and secured the second set (25:9). “It was kind of easy for our team. It wasn’t that difficult but more like a warm up to the SKAIS tournament,” Kang said.
Following the victory against the Sharks, DIS 3 squared up against ISB 3. Although composed of only newcomers, they executed their plays swiftly and took both sets swiftly (25:12 and 25:7). “We improved a lot, our communication was great, and we stayed really positive. I think that’s what helped [the win],” said captain and outside hitter Olivia Park.
For their final game before lunch, DIS 2 also clashed against the ISB Bears. The first set promptly ended with a blowout for the Jets. They sent unanswered service streaks across the net, and won the set with scores of 25:13.
In the second set, however, the Bears quickly shot back with precise hits on the sideline. “This was a little harder than BFS since they work as a team and they cooperate a lot. They also have more training sessions so they get to practice a lot,” said Kang. Nevertheless, the Jets remained unfazed, and lifted spirits with unwavering support. Though a tight battle, they clinched the second set (25:18).
While JV1 headed out for lunch, JV2 remained to battle the combined team between AIS and GIFS. Fewer students attend each of those schools so they join forces to make larger conference squads. Outside hitter Park delivered pinpoint passes to the setter, including a one-handed dig. The game concluded with the Jets prevailing through both sets (25:13 and 25:9).
As the first seed of their pools, both Jets JV teams returned from lunch ready to battle it out for the championship. Though DIS 2 was initially set to go against the last place seed, AIS/GIFS, due to SKAIS regulations the matchup changed at the last minute. “In the tournament setup, you have the crossover between two pools, so if it was normal then, the two DIS teams would be in different games and would both have a chance to advance to the finals. But due to SKAIS rules if you had two teams from the same school in a tournament, they could not play against each other in the finals so we had to make that change,” DIS athletic director Mr. Bergan said.
The court buzzed as the two home teams clashed in the semi-finals. The ball ping-ponged back and forth, tension brimmed as the scoreboards changed often. Yet, in the first set, JV1 faced an unexpected defeat against JV2, with a score of 25:18. “That time, since we knew each other, we lost our focus on our game and didn’t really cooperate as a team,” Kang said.
Players reflected on the setback, and noted the impact of energy and morale. DIS 3 outside hitter Dana Lee (number 4) said, “I think JV2 was kind of tired and anxious and so I think their hopes were down. Our voices were really loud and the other team seemed very tired. But for skills, I think they were better. It was more about the energy.”
After intense rallies, JV1 regained their composure in the final moments of the second set, which led to a tight escapade for JV2 (25:23). “I think during the second set, we calmed down and cooperated together better than the first set. We improved and almost won that set. We did a really good job in communicating with each other, and being more energetic,” Kang said.
Dismayed by the unexpected defeat, JV1 progressed to battle for the bronze against AIS/GIFS. They led both sets, with scores of 25:19 and 25:17. JV2, meanwhile, took on ISB in the final.
The first set led to a deuce as ISB snatched victory (25:27). Star player Olivia Park led down balls into the Bears’ court, and earned many points. Despite the loss, the Jets huddled together for the second set.
However, set two proved equally difficult. The court pulsed with anxiety as the team’s hawk-like gaze kept the ball in play. They brought home the set with scores of 25:23. With momentum in their grasp, JV2 delivered consecutive service aces to secure a dominant championship against the Bears (15:3).
Both teams topped the podium, with JV2 claiming an unexpected triumph for the crown. With medals in hand, the Jets closed the season on a high note, and showcased championship potential for years ahead.
Esther • Mar 12, 2025 at 7:30 pm
I thought that this year’s SKAIS event was full of happiness and also sadness. It was very fun to attend in, and also I really liked that we got to play with other schools in other places and also make friends! I hope to join volleyball again! Let’s go Jets!