MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- IronWorks Gym hosted a hard-fought battle between the Marine Corps Community Services Rhinos and the preseason champions, Combat Service Support Squadron 36, during intramural volleyball action Feb. 4.
The best-of-three match included two, 25-point games and a final, 15-point tie breaker.
CSSD-36 came out strong in the first game, with several volleys providing early momentum to the competition. Their effort was well-matched by the opposition. Jordan Hines provided strong stability for the Rhinos, denying several kill attempts with high-flying blocks. Nevertheless, CSSD-36 triumphed in the first game 25-23.
After a quick court switch, game two kicked off. Several CSSD-36 kills early on seemed to suggest a repeat performance. However, a key spike by Rhino Damon Wilson proved a tide-turning event. After an exciting volley, Wilson made contact with the ball off an opposing blocker, smashing it soundly onto the opponent's floor.
"His spike rallied the whole team," said Hines. "It was the inspiration that we needed."
The Rhinos began to build momentum, edging out of game two with a 25-23 victory.
The pressure was on for the final game, with solid team performances on both sides of the net.
This time, the Rhinos played with confidence from the beginning, finishing out with a 15-12 win, and securing the match victory.
"I think we had a lot of heart," said Hines. "I guess we decided that we had nothing to lose, so we started playing hard."
Both teams gave tight, well-rounded performances throughout the competition, making the match all the more exciting to watch.
"Volleyball is a great team sport," said CSSD-36 coach Stephen Mahon. "All the players have to work together to make a point."
According to Mahon, many of his players from the preseason were gone due to deployments.
"I still had a lot of fun," Mahon said. "I thought we did pretty good today."
In addition to the exercise, the volleyball league provides an exciting opportunity for relationships between Station residents.
"I think it bonds units together through competition," said Hines. "It's a chance to relax and get to know each other."