Ajax finally works through Chaos for regional title

PORTLAND - A six-point serving run in the decisive third set helped Hillsboro-based Ajax VB beat rival Chaos in the final of the Boys Open Division to highlight the first weekend of the CEVA Regionals at the Expo Center Sunday afternoon.

Ajax and Clackamas-based Chaos met in the final for the third consecutive year, with Chaos having won the previous two meetings. This time, Ajax trailed 7-4 in the third set, but rallied to 10-7, and ultimately won 21-25, 25-12, 15-10.

"They've owned us the past two years, so it's good to finally get through to the title," Ajax coach Ben Stern said afterward. "Getting the win in three sets feels good because they really stretched us and we showed off what we're made of as a team and a program."

The top teams in the girls Open Division and 16U will take over the Expo Center and its 18 courts in the coming weekend.

In other highlights from the first weekend of the CEVA Regionals, the Ajax sister club Athena won the 12-and-under division, beating Portland VBC in a three-set final.

In the 14U final, NPJ Bend beat Oregon Juniors in a three-set final, winning the third set 15-11.

In the 16U Boys final, the Ajax Gold team beat the Ajax Bend squad 15-13 in the third set to claim that division.

The upcoming weekend features 200 teams in the 18U and 16U girls divisions.

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