Photo By Lance Cpl. Cory D. Polom | Cpl. Risa A. Smith with the All-Marine team serves the ball during its game against...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. -- Teams demonstrated extreme amounts of courage and heart as the first match of the 2011 Armed Forces Volleyball Tournament began inside Cherry Point’s Marine Dome, April 7.
“The competition this year is better than it was last year by far,” said Mary K. Arvidson, a defensive specialist for the All-Navy women’s team. “Last year the defenses on all the teams were really sketchy. This year the teams have stepped up and the defense is amazing, which makes for a great competitive tournament.”
The first day of competition produced two undefeated teams for the women’s pool and the men’s was just as close.
“This team has exceeded my expectations of play,” said Sarah W. Lusk, head coach for the women’s All-Army team. “These girls came to play.”
After the first day, the Navy and Army women were undefeated after winning both their games against their opponents.
The teams in this year’s tournament are the All-Marine, All-Navy/Coast Guard, All-Air Force and the All-Army men’s and women’s teams.
“The cohesion between the teams and the players is really great,” said Arvidson. “All the teams are really strong this year, and it is hard to pick the toughest.”
The Air Force and the Navy teams opened up play for both pools on the first day.
Both Navy teams beat the Air Force teams; the women in five sets and the men in three.
The teams play each other twice in round-robin play and the team with the best record will be given the gold medal.
“The Army team has a lot of powerful hitters,” said Arvidson. “In the end only one team will be able to hold the gold medal, and my team and I will keep taking this tournament one game at a time.”
After the tournament is finished, the athletes will be notified who made the All-Armed Forces teams that will be representing the United States of America in the 2011 World Military Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, July 12-25.
Branches also be fielded teams to compete in beach volleyball.
Each branch has two male and two female teams that are competing in the 2011 Armed Forces Beach Volleyball Tournament that kicked off yesterday at Cunningham’s beach volleyball courts.
The beach tournament ends tomorrow, and the best men and women’s team will be selected to compete as the representatives for the U.S.
“The trick to doing well in this tournament for all teams is to not get discouraged but not get too confident,” said Lusk. “It just takes one play to gain momentum and only one play to kill it.”
| Date Taken: | 04.07.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 04.13.2011 17:06 |
| Story ID: | 68703 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 208 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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