Langley AFB, Va. –
The intramural volleyball season was set into motion Monday in the Shellbank Fitness Center with back-to-back matches: Air Combat Command Regional Supply Squadron versus the 1st Operations Group and 1st Equipment Maintenance Squadron versus 1st Communications Squadron 2.
The 1st OG began the evening with a win against RSS, and EMS followed with a win against CS2.
The best two of three games playing to 25 points each game determined each match. The games are played “rally,” scoring every successful possession rather than every serve.
OG/RSS match
The match was much determined by three factors: The spiking-serving-blocking power of James Houser, Brad Brumbaugh and Jay Wageman, 1st OG; consistent serving capability of the 1st OG; failure in communication within the RSS team.
“They had good serves – tough serves,” said Ivory Roux, RSS coach.
RSS did what it could to combat the spiking power of Houser, Brumbaugh and Wageman, but with one spiker/blocker, Brian Westrater, the team could not hold up. In addition, with little talk among the members on the court, many hits to the RSS team were answered by last-ditch efforts, as players dove to the ground in hopes of contacting the falling ball. Both games ended 25-15, but the RSS team still has a bright outlook for the season.
“We’re out to have a good time,” said Robert Gonzalez, RSS. “Hopefully, we’ll get better with a little practice.”
For the 1st OG, this is just the beginning for the team.
“Through hard work and determination and lots of practice, we’ll be able to represent the OG respectively,” said Matt Lazar, 1st OG coach.
EMS/CS2 match
The second match resembled much of the first as CS2 played much like RSS, and 1st EMS mirrored the consistency of the 1st OG.
1st EMS maintained a consistent bump-set-spike rhythm, and Juan Bender was CS2’s kryptonite with his incredible serving authority.
CS2 appeared disarrayed, as they attempted to answer the 1st EMS’s low, smooth serves, fast, in-your-face spikes and high, inconsistent bumps. Rebecca Fines, CS2 coach, did what she could to get a touch on the ball and keep her team together, but Bender answered their efforts with a 10-serve streak in the second game.
The games ended 25-11 and 25-15.