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Show HI!!top April 27, 2000 touumainfiieiraG AFEUI1 site side of the court: It appeared Eggers bump was good, but the call by Steven R. Ford Hilltop Times staff With one of their top players, J. T. Miley, retiring from the Air Force, the mens volleyball team from Robins AFB, Ga., decided to send the player-coac- h off in style by win-nin- g the Air Force stood and Brooks appeared deflated. I really think Brooks got gypped on that call, Miley said. I dont really think it was a lift. You could see their whole attitude was down on that play. I thought it was the turning point, McFar- land agreed. Materiel Command tour21-2- 4. made two mistakes to end the game. Right on the heels of the call, Brooks received a deep serve on their back with a bang. Give me my retirement gift, and they hooked me up! In Mondays hotly con- line and didnt get the ball in the air. Sitting at match point. Brooks, who blew right through Edwards AFB, Calif., to reach the finals tested championship match, Robins beat Brooks 25-2AFB, Texas 13-23, 2 to claim the 2000 AFMC mens volleyball title. Miley and his teammates, who entered the 15-1- , , was in trouble. A short rally ensued and Robins outside hitter, not being able to spike (25-2- 0, single elimination tournament with an unblem- ished 5-- record after 0 round robin play, fought for every ball in the championship tooth-and-na- il ' Moreno goes high for a dink in the championship match against Robins AFB. 25-1- 4) the ball back to Brooks, just sent the ball deep into his opponents back line between two Brooks match. Robins never let their attitude sag even after badly losing the first game. We felt we gave them the first game, said Miley, an All-Tournam- selection at weakside ter. We Right behind that, we make a stupid mistake and didnt get the ball up. We nament at the Hess Fitness Center April This is my last tournament, said Miley. I retire Oct. 1, and I told the guys, let me go out 5, GiGB Everyone just stepped up to another level when we got here, and it showed in some of the important games. Matt Lohr player thought the other would get it, and the ball hit the floor Middle blockers from Eglin AFB, above, stamp ,this for the final AFB. point. Miley said he and his teammates were in shock over how well they had done. Prior to the tournament, Robins hit- Photos by Senior Airman defenders. Each spike return to sender during a game against Tinker Left, AFMC stepped volley-baile- rs back from team competition Monday and participated in a serving skills contest, including a blindfolded zen test of how to be the ball. had resigned felt they didnt beat us. We beat themselves to just having fun and being the whipping post for the rest of J.T. Miley ourselves. We made a lot of hitting errors, so we went into the second game with the field. the idea that if we can control the ball Everyone just stepped up to another we can control the game. In the sec- level when we got here, and it showed ond game we beat them, and we were in some of the important games, an elated Miley noted. Our attitude was, back on our game. I think we got very relaxed in the Keep it up. Keep it up. No one was h player-coacsecond game, said Brooks dogging each other. Its incredible. Lorenzo McFarland. They took We havent come down from the clouds their game up another level because yet. I knew Robins had a lot of talent, we beat them so badly. It came down not saying and we had a lot of new guys. I was to who wanted it more that we didnt want it but we just very concerned about that, McFarmade little mental errors. We kind of land said. Not being a team to stay down long. cracked a little under the pressure. The turning point in the match came Brooks, the top team from pool A with with both teams slugging it out in the an equally untarnished 0 record, no team vowed to return strong in 2001. With final game. Knotted at Each a held clear advantage. spike was several young players having matured met with a dig, each return spike with at the 2000 tournament. Brooks should favorite next year. the match was be a a block. I did we think came dead even. Then great having such controversy. old McFarAfter a brief rally, Brooks young talent, the outside hitter Thomas Eggers land said. Well have a good team sent the ball across the net with a bump again next year because all of these off a bad pass. Robins was prepar- youngsters will be back. I think they ing for the return as Eggers was called have the fire now, and theyll be vetfor a lift by the net judge on the oppo erans. They wont be new next year. 5-- 12-1- 2, Point-for-poi- nt pre-tournam- 33-ye- ar tournament play. Elated players from Robins AFB, above right, celebrate their AFMC men s volleyball title moments after winning the championship against Brooks AFB. |