Students and staff pose after their win/defeat.

Staff and students faced off across a volleyball net to show which side had the skills to win the (temporary) title of Volleyball Champs. Career Services administrative assistant Megan Cruikshank had been coaching students in skills and rules. “We worked together to get the rules down, how to set and spike and bump the ball,” Megan talked about the students’ practicing their skills. “They got really good at knowing when to sub someone in and setting up the rotation so their best players were able to meet our not-best players.”

There are three matches in each game. The team that wins the match must beat the other team by at least two points. Recreation Supervisor Patrick McFarland explained, “You can win at 25 points as long as you’re at least two points ahead of the other team. So if Team A is at 23 points and Team B scores two points, the game ends. But if Team A scores and gets to 24 points, play continues until the difference between the two scores is at least two points.”

In the first match, students took the win, showing that their evening practice sessions were really paying off. The staff team came back and soundly beat the students in the second match. The game headed in to the third match 1-1 and it was on. In a nail-biting finale, students and staff matched each other point for point until the students finally pulled ahead by one and finally two points to win the game 2-1.

Student Dolores Lujano did a great job on the floor, calling out where the ball was going and which line, back or front, should take it. “I really wanted to win and I knew we could if we were organized and worked together,” she said. “Don’t be afraid of the ball! Hit it over the net!”

Megan was thrilled to see how well they were doing. “I am so proud of how well they did, even if I am a bit sad they beat us,” she said. Megan took moments between matches to coach the students and help them remember their skills. “They did it all on their own. Since I was playing on the staff side, I couldn’t remind them to substitute or point out where to place the serve. They took everything we’d worked on and used it.”

This will not be the last of the volleyball face-offs between students and staff. A rematch is scheduled to take place later in October. Good luck to students and staff as they face each other over the net!