RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
After a grueling five matches in a 24-hour period, Air Education and Training Command A2/3/10 emerged last week as the 2009 Randolph intramural volleyball champions.
The AETC team lost 25-20, 25-19 to 12th Flying Training Wing/MX in the winners' bracket finals July 1, dropping to the losers' bracket, where they defeated the 12th Medical Group in the finals the next day.
Needing a victory just to stay alive in the tournament, AETC avenged their previous loss to 12th FTW/MX by winning the first match 25-22, 25-15. Then, falling behind in the deciding match with a 25-22 loss in the first game, AETC won the final two games 25-15, 19-17 to seal the title.
"This is great," coach Vince Quidachay said after AETC won the last three points in the final game to finally defeat 12th FTW/MX. "We had to beat them twice, and typically that doesn't happen."
Quidachay attributed the victory to AETC's defense, especially the timely digs of Heather Smith, and to the setting of Cecilia Avila and an imposing front line led by Steve Fournier.
"Heather put in a great defensive effort with her digs and Cecilia's setting was flawless," he said. "Our big lineup made a big difference, too. Steve's our leader in kills."
In the two-game match that allowed them to stave off elimination, AETC took an early lead, then fell behind by four points at 10-6 before rallying to regain the lead at 13-12. The lead seesawed until AETC went ahead for good at 21-20, then took four of the final six points of the game. A pair of kills and a block by Fournier were crucial down the stretch.
AETC lost the first point of the second game, then never trailed again, dominating the contest behind kills by Billy Steverson and Bob Remey. AETC won six points in a row at one point.
But 12th FTW/MX composed themselves in the first game of the championship finals, earning a hard-fought 25-22 win. They fell behind early in the second game, rallied to tie the score at 8- and 10-all, then managed just five more points the rest of the way.
The deciding game was nip-and-tuck all the way with a three-point lead by AETC at 10-7 the greatest difference. After a block by Heather Sanchez gave 12th FTW/MX a 17-16 lead, AETC claimed the championship with three straight points.
AETC defeated Headquarters Air Force Recruiting Service and a team from the 99th and 39th Flying Training Squadrons before falling to 12th FTW/MX in the winners' bracket finals.