Geordie Peters receives the set from teammate, Robert Bedwell and hooks the ball over the net, apparently catching The Spikers flat-footed and off-guard.
point. And for the 50 plus spectators on-hand, they were treated to an awesome spectacle of athleticism displayed by both teams. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Enjoy them!
The Spikers took the first 2 games, but both wins were by the narrowest of margins. They fought for each and every point. At any point in either game the tide could have turned and the outcome reversed. It was a continuous seesaw battle for points and control of the court. Neither team would relinquish any ground and neither team could manage a rally of 3 or more points throughout the entire match.
Adriaan Crowley leaps high into the air setting the ball to fellow teammate Robert Bedwell, as Zack “Attack” Conde (right of net) looks on.
Down 2-0 as they entered Game 3, The Red Devils scored a series of miraculous comebacks and to the dismay of the crowd and disbelief of The Spikers; they tied the match at 2 games apiece. As they entered Game 5, it was clear that the crowd had shifted positions and they were now pulling for the underdogs, The Red Devils. On many occasions their screaming and yelling drowned out the umpires whistle. Each time The Red Devils scored a point or regained control of the serve, the crowd erupted and cheered.
The Red Devils pulled to an early 9-3 lead, the largest margin of any game thus far. But they couldn’t hold on. Four of their five players came to the service line but failed to clear the net. They were over anxious and the pressure seemed to get the best of them. On the other hand, The Spikers maintained a steady pace and little by little they inched their way back into the game. Scoring 1 point at a time they eventually tied the game at 9 apiece before taking a 2-point advantage. The Red Devils dug in and rebounded back once again. We were soon tied at 11-11. However, point-by-point, The Spikers edged ever closer to victory. Before long the umpire was calling out the score, 14-11, game point, match point. Two and a half hours after taking the court, it was over!
Receiving the “perfect” set from teammate Melvyn Moyce…and slamming it through the block of Colin Duncan is Troy Bennett of The Spikers.
Selecting a “Player of the Game” from among The Spikers was almost an impossible task. They all played above and beyond their capabilities. Honors on this night would have to go to Troy Bennett. He was involved in nearly every play of every game. He was consistently good. He served, he set, bumped, and dug the ball, and he had several awesome slams. From the other side of the net, I’d have to say that Garreth Benjamin was without a doubt The Red Devil’s most valuable player. He sat out for the first 2 games and coached his teammates from the sidelines. He was the inspiration and turning point for his team. When he entered the court for Game 3 things began to happen for his team. He made the difference! Congratulations to both of you, and many thanks for a great match.
Final Score: The Spikers 15-6, 15-13, 10-15, 14-16, and 15-11.
***
And Now There Are Two!
Having won a very difficult match just two days earlier, The Spikers entered courtside on Wednesday afternoon confident and determined that they would reach the finals. Standing in their way, however, were the Master Blasters.
The action never ceased as these two teams battled onward. As the scoreboard indicates, all 3 games were extremely close and they could have gone either way. But down the home stretch it was The Spikers who came away with the win. They move on to the finals to face “B” Shift this Friday afternoon.
Guy Barallon (near side) leaps skyward and forces Zack “Attack” Conde to readjust the angle on the ball.
Making his first appearance as an umpire was Barry Hicks. He had his hands full as controversial calls were made against both teams. However, he maintained his composure throughout the match and he took control. Overall, I’d say he did an outstanding job. Thanks Barry, for volunteering your time and services.
In the near court, The Spiker’s Melvyn Moyce doing what he does best…setting the ball to teammates, as the defense moves in to counter attack.
This match may not have gone the distance as many had predicted it would, but it wasn’t without its high points either. These two teams combined have more experienced volleyball players then all the other teams combined. For this reason there were more blocked slams and more “dinks” then previous match play. Both teams were forced to make several adjustments in their rotations as play continued… anything to gain the advantage in height and experience as players reached the net.
The crowd also made a difference today. They became the “sixth” player on the court as they worked together to distract the players. On Monday they yelled and screamed at The Spikers, but today they were cheering them on. Go figure! Another noticeable factor in today’s match; the big guys for the Master Blasters appeared over anxious and too eager to get their hands on the ball. Together, they simply tried too hard and as a result, simple mistakes were made. It was these mistakes that eventually cost them the match too.
Guy Barallon (far side of net) spikes the ball through the open arms of defender, Marty Bates, as others can only watch and wait.
For those of you who are not familiar with a double elimination style tournament, if by chance ‘B’ Shift were to lose to The Spikers on Friday, this would count as their first loss. With each team then showing one loss apiece, the two teams would then have to play an additional match on Monday to determine the overall champion.
Zack “Attack” Conde (far court) is forced to “dink” the ball over the net after facing the outstretched arms of defender, Brian Davis.
Selecting a “Player of the Game” from among a dozen or so talented individuals isn’t always an easy task. But honors on this particular night would have to go to Marty Bates from The Spikers. He remained the most consistent player throughout the entire match. When he wasn’t slamming the ball he was bumping and setting to the open man. His enthusiasm and the intensity in which he played never diminished. He played a smart, heads-up match and was the motivational factor behind their victory. Congratulations to you and to your team, and best of luck on Friday.
Marty Bates (near side) was forced to “dink” the ball over the net after running into a wall of blockers. That’s high flying Lloyd “Buzz” Boothroyd setting up the “iron curtain”.
Final Score: The Spikers 15-12, 15-10, and 15-13.
There will be a “Special Edition” of Volleyball News and Highlights dedicated strictly to the coverage of the “Finals” and the forthcoming trophy presentations. It will be available to everyone no later than Monday, March 22.
Story by: Brian Davis, CSR 6310, Fire/Security
Photographs by:
Bob Merritt, CSR 5150, Communications
Computer Support provided by:
Joseph Walls, CSR 6300, Air Traffic Control
Send your comments to: brian.davis@patrick.af.mil
