Even if the final wasn’t for another day, Osan American coach Brian Swenty felt as if his Cougars already were champions.

Riding a strong tide of court coverage and 56 defensive digs, Osan on Thursday ousted defending champion Taegu American 25-22, 20-25, 15-7 in the Far East High School Girls Class A Volleyball Tournament.

The victory guaranteed the Cougars would finish no worse than fourth in the tournament at Sasebo Naval Base, Japan. It also meant that they would finish as the top Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Pacific team in the five-day event, which was to wrap up Friday afternoon.

Not bad for a team with a roster lacking both a senior and anyone taller than 5 feet 5, Swenty said.

“Very proud, extremely proud,” he said. “It’s a big sense of accomplishment for a young, small team. … As far as I’m concerned, we’ve already won.”

The Cougars needed to outlast a rebuilding but still dangerous Taegu American team that had played Osan to a virtual standoff during the season.

They split their Korean-American Interscholastic Activities Conference regular-season matches. Osan lost to the Warriors in the KAIAC Division I tournament. Then they split their Class A round-robin match earlier this week.

After splitting the first two sets on Thursday, Osan went up 9-1 in the deciding set, then hung on dearly.

“Call them the ‘Cardiac Cougars,’” Swenty said. “I’m going to need a heart transplant after this week.”

Brittany Hibbard scored 18 digs, Celine Baldevia added 13 and Dawn Moore and Katie Barnes netted 12 each. Osan also had 20 spike kills in 80 attempts.

“Continuous attacking but it was our defense that wore them down,” Swenty said. “A huge night, in terms of defense.”

He acknowledged that vaulting over the pre-tournament favorites — Morrison Christian Academy of Taiwan, Faith Academy of the Philippines and the International School of the Sacred Heart Symbas of Tokyo — would leave Osan with a hard row to hoe.

But Swenty expressed pride in his team, which began the season as “a group of kids that were just starting to play the sport — and now, they’re a true, solid team. I’m proud of them.”

Two DODDS squads remain alive in Class AA tournamentYONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea — Only two of eight DODDS squads remained alive in the chase for the Class AA volleyball tournament title: host Seoul American, which placed seventh last year, and Kubasaki of Okinawa, which finished fourth in 2005.

Each team won its first-round playoff match Thursday. Seoul American breezed past Kadena of Okinawa 25-18, 25-16, 25-20, and Kubasaki struggled early but rallied to top Hong Kong International 23-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-21.

Their reward? A date for Seoul American with defending champion Christian Academy In Japan, and for Kubasaki with 2003-04 champion Academy of Our Lady of Guam.

Coaches Denny Hilgar of Seoul American and Chris Kelly of Kubasaki likened the playoffs — and facing the tournament’s traditional powerhouses — to David meeting Goliath in the reality TV show “Survivor.”

“At times, we were in survivor mode,” Kelly said. “That first set was like a bump on the head. Either start playing or get out. Obviously, as you get closer (to the final), you’d better bring your ‘A’ game. Everybody’s good at this point … if you don’t bring it, it’s welcome to the consolation bracket.”

“Those teams,” as Hilgar put it, “are used to getting to the semifinals on a consistent basis.” The challenge facing the DODDS teams, he said, is to avoid acting “as if we were a Triple-A baseball team playing the parent club.”

How?

“I’ll just get my slingshot and find a big rock,” Hilgar smiled.

Girls Class AA volleyballAt Falcon Gym, Seoul American H.S., and Collier Field House South Post, Yongsan Garrison, South Korea

Single-elimination playoffs

Thursday

Match 1-American School In Japan def. Guam High 25-8, 25-15, 25-5Match 2-Simon Sanchez, Guam, def. Zama American, Japan, 25-14, 25-14, 14-25, 21-25, 15-6Match 3-Seoul American def. Kadena, Okinawa, 25-18, 25-15, 25-20Match 4-Christian Academy In Japan def. Nile C. Kinnick, Japan, 25-11, 25-7, 25-16Match 5-Academy of Our Lady of Guam def. Yokota, Japan, 25-15, 25-16, 25-11Match 6-Kubasaki, Okinawa, def. Hong Kong International 23-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-21Match 7-John F. Kennedy, Guam, def. Seisen International, Tokyo, 25-20, 22-25, 10-25, 25-18, 15-12Match 8-George Washington, Guam, def. Robert D. Edgren, Japan, 25-6, 25-8, 25-17Match 9-Zama def. Guam 25-14, 25-20Match 10-Kadena def. Kinnick 25-20, 25-23Match 11-Yokota def. Hong Kong Int’l 25-21, 14-25, 15-10Match 12-Seisen def. Edgren 25-15, 25-17

Friday

Match 13-ASIJ vs. Simon SanchezMatch 14-Seoul American vs. CAJMatch 15-Acad. of Our Lady vs. KubasakiMatch 16-JFK vs. George WashingtonMatch 17-Zama vs. Match 14 loserMatch 18-Kadena vs. Match 13 loserMatch 19-Yokota vs. Match 16 loserMatch 20-Seisen vs. Match 15 loserMatch 21-Match 17 winner vs. Match 18 winnerMatch 22-Match 19 winner vs. Match 20 winner

Semifinals

Match 23-Match 13 winner vs. Match 14 winnerMatch 24-Match 15 winner vs. match 16 winner

Saturday’s matches

Match 25-Match 21 loser vs. Match 22 loser, seventh and eighth placeMatch 26-Match 21 winner vs. Match 22 winner, fifth and sixth placeMatch 27-Match 23 loser vs. Match 24 loser, third and fourth placeMatch 28-Match 23 winner vs. Match 24 winner, championship and runner-up

Thursday’s summaries

ASIJ def. Guam High 25-8, 25-15, 25-5 Spike kills-ASIJ, A.J. Rahn 5, Brylie Gray 5.

Simon Sanchez def. Zama 25-14, 25-14, 14-25, 21-25, 15-6 Spike kills-Simon Sanchez, Ginalynn Naburn 16, Monica Malig 9, Marianne Bautista 7, Franchesca Leon Guerrero 6, Katrina Toves 5; Zama American, Keily Sasano 7 in 18 attempts, Emily Hunter-Chester 5 in 8 attempts. Service aces-Zama American, Keily Sasano 5. Block points-Simon Sanchez, Monica Malig 6; Zama American, Emily Hunter-Chester 17, Lara Morales 5. Defensive digs-Simon Sanchez, Marianne Bautista 14, Katrina Toves 9, Franchesca Leon Guerrero 7, Monica Malig 5.

Seoul American def. Kadena 25-18, 25-15, 25-20 Spike kills-Seoul American, Avianca Manning 16 in 34 attempts, Gabriella Matautia 9 in 20 attempts; Kadena, Helen Schrock 7, Aja Walker 7, Zori Drew 5. Set assists-Seoul American, Lorna Haney 13, Kristina Queen 8. Defensive digs-Seoul American, Lorna Haney 6, Gabriella Matautia 6, Mindy John 5; Kadena, Aja Walker 9, Helen Schrock 8, Raschelle Goodman 7.

CAJ def. Kinnick 25-11, 25-7, 25-16 Spike kills-CAJ, Kelsey Masuda 18, Nanae Ohki 8; Nile C. Kinnick, Misari Buckley 7. Set assists-CAJ, Stephanie Hino 34; Nile C. Kinnick, Mariko Wood 10. Defensive digs-CAJ, Kelsey Masuda 6.

Academy of Our Lady def. Yokota 25-15, 25-16, 25-11 Spike kills-Academy, Ianna Mariano 17 in 25 attempts, Stephanie Camacho 11 in 14 attempts, Elyse Bais 6 in 11 attempts. Set assists-Academy, Genevieve Ilao 39. Block points-Academy, Ianna Mariano 4. Defensive digs-Yokota, Brooklyn Neal 9, Stephanie Dolby 8.

Kubasaki def. Hong Kong Int’l 23-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-21 Spike kills-Kubasaki, Raeanne Tajalle 9 in 30 attempts, Chloe Freeman 6 in 20 attempts, Monique Chino 5 in 24 attempts. Set assists-Kubasaki, Raelene Tajalle 26. Defensive digs-Kubasaki, Raeanne Tajalle 11, Monique Chino 8.

John F. Kennedy def. Seisen 25-20, 22-25, 10-25, 25-18, 15-12 Spike kills-JFK, Jeneal Besabe 13 in 44 attempts, Charmaine Garcia 7 in 24 attempts. Service aces-JFK, Charmaine Garcia 6, Kaexie Magadia 5. Set assists-JFK, Catherine Aquinde 12. Defensive digs-JFK, Jeneal 50, Kaexie Magadia 36.

George Washington def. Edgren 25-6, 25-8, 25-17 Spike kills-GW, Colleen Cruz 10 in 20 attempts, Evelyn Padayao 7 in 14 attempts; Edgren, Val Jones 10 in 15 attempts. Set assists-GW, Juniko Deleon 66; Edgren, Val Jones 10. Block points-Edgren, Val Jones 3. Defensive digs-GW, Colleen Cruz 8.

Zama def. Guam High 25-14, 25-20 Spike kills-Zama, Lara Morales 6 in 6 attempts. Service aces-Zama, Keily Sasano 7.

Kadena def. Kinnick 25-20, 25-23 Spike kills-Kadena, Helen Schrock 15; Nile C. Kinnick, Misari Buckley 5, Mary Niemeyer 5. Service aces-Nile C. Kinnick, Mariko Wood 7. Set assists-Kadena, Raschelle Goodman 9. Block points-Kadena, Aja Walker 5, Jasmine Spruill 3. Defensive digs-Kadena, Jasmine Spruill 7, Raschelle Goodman 7, Aja Walker 6, Helen Schrock 5.

Yokota def. Hong Kong Int’l 25-21, 14-25, 15-10 Defensive digs-Yokota, Brooklyn Neal 4.

Seisen def. Edgren 25-15, 25-17 Spike kills-Seisen, Lisa Sizemore 8 in 10 attempts, Jessica Eastling 6 in 7 attempts; Edgren 8 in 11 attempts. Service aces-Seisen, Lisa Sizemore 7, Jessica Eastling 5, Minami Kinjo 5. Set assists-Seisen, Minami Kinjo 7, Sze Yuen Leung 5. Defensive digs-Seisen, Lisa Sizemore 7, Jessica Eastling 6, Sze Yuen Leung 6, Minami Kinjo 5.

Girls Class A volleyballAt E.J. King H.S. and Old Fleet Gym Sasebo Naval Base, Japan

Double-elimination playoffs

Thursday

Match 1-Matthew C. Perry, Japan, def. International Christian-Uijongbu, South Korea, 25-15, 25-14Match 2-Faith Academy, Philippines, def. Osan American, South Korea, 31-29, 25-9Match 3-International School of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo, def. E.J. King, Japan 25-11, 25-19Match 4-Taegu American, South Korea, def. Korea International 25-22, 25-9Match 5-Morrison Christian Academy, Taiwan, def. M.C. Perry 25-10, 25-11Match 6-E.J. King def. ICS-Uijongbu 25-12, 25-15; ICS-Uijongbu eliminatedMatch 7-Korea Int’l def. M.C. Perry 25-15, 21-25, 15-6; M.C. Perry eliminatedMatch 8-Faith Academy def. International School of the Sacred Heart 25-19, 25-20Match 9-Morrison Christian Academy def. Taegu American 25-14, 23-25, 15-4Match 10-Osan American def. E.J. King 19-25, 25-22, 16-14; E.J. King eliminatedMatch 11-Sacred Heart def. Korea Int’l 25-12, 25-12; Korea Int’l eliminatedMatch 12-Osan American def. Taegu American 25-22, 20-25, 15-7; Taegu American eliminated

Friday

Match 13-Morrison Christian vs. FaithMatch 14-Sacred Heart vs. OsanMatch 15-Match 13 loser vs. Match 14 winnerMatch 16-Match 13 winner vs. Match 15 winnerMatch 17-Match 13 winner vs. Match 15 winner, if Match 13 winner loses Match 16

Leaders (after first day of playoffs)

E.J. King-Panagsagan 6 spike kills in 17 attempts, 6 service aces. Faddis 18 set assists. Perez 8 defensive digs, 5 service aces.Matthew C. Perry-Sindac 7 spike kills in 22 attempts. Shulock 5 spike kills in 10 attempts, 13 set assists. Taylor 9 service aces. Tarazon 7 defensive digs. Lacey 7 defensive digs. Jones 7 defensive digs.Osan American-Celine Baldevia 7 service aces, 15 spike kills in 41 attempts, 25 set assists, 31 defensive digs. Brittany Hibbard 35 defensive digs. Sasha Gluzinski 12 spike kills in 45 attempts, 21 defensive digs. Dawn Moore 13 spike kills in 54 attempts, 21 defensive digs. Katie Barnes 15 defensive digs.Taegu American-Hannah Oh 45 defensive digs. LaShaw Denson 9 spike kills in 53 attempts, 15 set assists, 17 defensive digs. Alex Vynorius 14 spike kills in 74 attempts, 17 defensive digs. Christina John 8 service aces, 13 spike kills in 47 attempts, 11 defensive digs.

Migrated