Darkside Update 2/6/99 - 17-15 I'm sensing a pattern...

It's not the easiest way to win a tournament in the rally scoring 3rd game of a best of 3 final, but it is what we've been doing lately. Here's the summary of the Cocoa Beach tournament.

We had only 6 for this tournament (5 and 1/2 if you count Wade's recovery progress from his knee injury). Wade, Kurt, Rick and I piled into the Blue Glider at Rick's house while Raik and Greg followed in the Green Streak. We got to Cocoa at 10:45 AM for a tournament that was to start at 11:00 AM. The tournament, originally a 6 team pool run on 2 courts turned into a 5 team pool on 2 courts. We refereed the 1st match (on both courts) and then had to play 4 matches in a row. Interesting format, but it does get the tournament completed on time. Pool play was 2 games to 15 starting at 4.

We played D.O.C. (Department of Corrections) first and split with them in a spirited match 16-14, 14-16. In match 2 we beat One Time 15-7, 15-6 without much drama. Match 3 was against Orlando Gold 18-2 and also went our way 15-9, 15-7. At this point we were 5-1 while D.O.C. had split with 1st Coast and each was 4-2. Our last mach was against 1st Coast and if we could pull out 2 wins, we would get a bye into the finals. The match was close and loud, with 1st Coast responding to every play they made with much vocal enthusiasm. We won the 1st game 15-13 and the 2nd 15-12 and got our bye.

We worked the semifinal between the 6-2 D.O.C. and the 5-3 1st Coast, which went 3 games with 1st Coast winning the rally game in an all around close match. The finals were to be the cagey veteran Darkside team and 1st Coast, a team of vocal, young leapers fueled by emotion.

The 1st game was a seesaw battle to the end; unfortunately, we made just enough mistakes to give them the win, 16-14. In the 2nd game, we came out strong and our blocking and defense picked up a notch. We won the 2nd game easily, 15-6. We won the flip for game 3 and received serve. We opened a 9-5 lead and then gave it away only to recapture it at 12-11 and then give it back at 14-12. We sided out and got to 14-13 and a key block got us to 14-14. I got a big dig, which resulted in a rally, which we won to give us 15-14. They sided out and got to 15-15, as did we, which then got us to 16-15. They could not side out another time and we pulled this one out on a rally with a Rick Taylor kill. A very sweaty, hard earned victory, just like the one 2 weekends ago at the Disney Classic against Shag Me Baby.

T.K.A. - This award was Greg's on a sweet cut-back X hit inside the 10 foot line until Kurt put a 1-handed 31 set away with an even more resounding impact. I'll give it to Kurt, better luck next time.

The DORKSIDE - for the first time ever, an opposing player gets the DORKSIDE. In our match against Orlando Gold 18-2, one of their back row players became the unlucky recipient. As we were playing a third ball over as a free ball for them, it was traveling out past the back line. As this poor kid was backing up to play the ball, his team called the ball out. With plenty of time, he tried to backpedal away from the ball so it would land in front of him, but his feet got tangled. He moved his upper body backward to avoid contact with the ball, but could not get his feet out of the way. The ball struck his feet (clearly now out of bounds) as he fell backwards landing on his but. Our whole team looked at each other and rather than laugh inappropriately, we all pulled out the "DORK" signals. He didn't know what we meant and will not know the prestigious company he shares.