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Don’t you ever wonder what happens at an ISSEA event, more specifically, volleyball? Well, here’s a quick summary of the team’s experience.
By Alexia Gutierrez | Writer
After seven long hours of traveling, the girls and boys teams arrived at ICS, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for ISSEA Volleyball 2022. Late at night, the teams got to the hotel, where they ate dinner surrounded by the other school teams.
Day 1
With the little rest they were able to get, the teams woke early to start the tournament. The event began with a parade around ICS’s beautiful campus. As the teams walked, they cheered loudly and were welcomed and applauded by the students of ICS. Following the parade, there was an opening ceremony. All of the teams were introduced, and the past champions were forced to give up the trophies for the new winners to claim. The teams were wished good luck for the following three days and ISSEA Volleyball 2022 officially commenced.
The first round-robin games were about to begin. The boy’s first game was against ISU, which they had previously beaten in last year’s finals. They started strong, winning the first set; however, ISU fought hard and won the game. It was the girl’s turn, and they were paired up against their number one enemy, IST. After being defeated by Tanzania in the finals last year, the girls walked on the court nervous and stressed. It was a tough game; sadly, like the boys, the first game was a loss. With a bad start to the tournament, the Eagles had their heads down. Luckily, both teams turned it around, and won their two-afternoon games.
Day 2
The next day, each team had to play four more games to decide the final round-robin standings. The girls had a rocky start as they lost against ISU, and a little bit later, had an unexpected loss against ICS. However, they were able to pick themselves up and beat the two remaining teams. On the other hand, the boys won their first two games but then lost against HIS. The girls ended up 4th in the standings and the boys 3rd. The teams were then rewarded with dinner at the best burger place in Addis Ababa. They went to bed with full stomachs, ready for the final day.
Day 3
Although it was the last day, the players were excited and enthusiastic about their remaining time in Addis. As round-robin was over, the real competition began in the playoffs. The girls played their quarter-finals against ISK. They lost the first set but then dominated the second one. Forced to go into the third set, both teams were panicking as they were neck in neck, and just by a few points, ISK snatched the win. Disappointed and upset, the girls shook hands with the other team, knowing they had tried their hardest. The girls’ following games led them to win the “consolation playoffs” and get 5th place. The boys then played and won their quarter-finals against AISL. They also won their semis, gaining a spot in the finals against HIS. With every seat in the bleachers full, and cheers from every team, all eyes were on the finals. The girls were up first, where IST won against ISU, making them back-to-back winners. The last game was the boys. It was a close game, but unfortunately, HIS won 2-0, leaving AISJ in second place.
As ISSEA came to an end, there was a closing ceremony to finish it off. The teams were presented with medals and trophies, and 4 of our eagles were awarded the all-star award. For the girls, the two sophomores, Alexia Gutierrez and Isabella Slack, and for the boys, two seniors, Raphael Macedo and Mohapi Ralethe.
Exhausted and sore, the teams returned to the hotel and traveled back to Johannesburg on the following day, where they were welcomed by AISJ parents. Although it might have not been what they aimed for, our Eagles played their best and made us proud.
