21st WSA wins cross league volleyball championship

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Dennis Hoffman
  • 21st Space Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  It may have seemed like a normal Wednesday night at the base fitness center, but for two teams, proven champions in their own divisions, it was the apex of volleyball competition. A battle royale for ultimate volleyball bragging rights.

The NORAD/U.S. Northern Command team intramural volleyball lunch league champions faced off against the 21st Space Wing Staff Agency intramural volleyball night league champions at the Peterson Air Force Base Fitness Center to finally declare a champion of champions May 18.

After each team bumped, bruised and bled during the championship game, it was the WSA team who were left standing after defeating the NORAD/Northcom team in three consecutive games.

The NORAD/U.S. Northcom team was dominant in their respective league, winning the past six seasons in a row, while the WSA team was relatively young in their streak of championships.

“This match was a long time in the making,” said Senior Airman Karl Ahner, 21st Comptroller Squadron budget analyst and WSA team captain. “Each squad had been dominate in separate intramural leagues on Peterson AFB. NORAD/U.S. Northcom had not lost a match in three years. Due to scheduling conflicts in the past, this was the first time we had even been in the same gym together.”

Once the first serve landed, each team strung together flawless rallies of bumps, sets and spikes that kept everyone in the stands on edge. The offensive power of each team was incredible, which left the deciding factor of the games for both team’s defense to decide.

The score bounced back and forth during all three games, but in the end one team dominated each game.

“Both teams played the match to the edge with each game decided by two points or less,” said Ahner. “The last game was decided by one point because of the point cap of 27. There were lead changes throughout, but WSA finished each game with strong intensity for the victory. This lived up to the many years of anticipation this competition had promised.”

In good Air Force sportsmanship fashion each team high-fived and congratulated one another on winning their respective league and playing their absolute best.

Though for now, WSA and the night league will hold the title of Peterson Volleyball Grand Champion, that isn’t to say that next year they couldn’t get “bumped” off.

 

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