DRINK UP, IT'S SPIKED PUNCH
9/23/02
In one of the more improbable championship runs. The individual team, Spiked Punch, comes from behind twice and defeats the top two seeds to take the CSA Summer Co-ed Sand Volleyball championship

In the first round, fourth seeded Spiked Punch dropped the first game to the fifth seed, Volleyball Beer Hacks. It looked like it would be a quick exit after dropping the first game 15-2, but they rallied in game two to send the match to the deciding third game. With rally scoring in effect, Spiked took a quick lead and never looked back. They eliminated VBH in an 11-2 rout.

Right after that match they had to face the top seed, Zealots of Apathy. All warmed up, Spiked took advantage of a Zealots team that was, well for lack of a better pun, apathetic. A 15-10 win in the first game makes it seem closer than it was, as ZOA got most of their points after they were already down big. In game two, it was a massacre. Spiked Punch sent the top seed home for the season 15-0.

Spiked advanced to the finals. They would have to wait on the winner of the two versus three match-up. In the other semi, second seed, The Wilsons, outlasted the third seed, Pressed Ham and Fried Eggs, in an evenly matched three game affair. The Wilsons took game one 15-12, but Pressed fought back, and won a heartstopping game two, 16-14. The deciding game was played under regulation rules, and The Wilsons were a shade better, winning 15-8 and advancing to the finals.

The finals was another compelling, dramatic contest. This match went the distance, literally,
Spiked was rested and playing a team that had just come off a long draining match-up. They took advantage. Spiked used The Wilsons fatigue and won game one 15-9. That advantage flip flopped in game two. The Wilsons, on their fifth game of the night, were fully in game mode, but Spiked Punch had only played one game and were not as sharp. The balance between the teams was evident. The Wilsons took game two 15-10 and the championship was headed to a winner take all third game.

The third game was one of peaks and valleys for both teams. A slow start saw the sides trading side outs. Then, The Wilsons started to take control. They took advantage of Championship MVP, Matt Wheeler, being on the sidelines for Spiked Punch and built a commanding 11-3 lead. Four points away from the title, it looked like it was in the bag. Then a championship changing moment happened. Doug Lehman, serving for Spiked Punch, was able to score three quick points. With the score 11-6, it still seemed to be too big a hole to climb out of. Then, after a mishit by Spiked Punch went long, they got a huge break. Standing behind the service line while play was going on, the shot that would have been out hit one of The Wilsons girls while it was live. Instead of being a side out, it was a point for Spiked Punch. Lehman scored three more times on his serve and the score was 11-10 in a heartbeat.

After getting a side out, Spiked tied the game on Kelli Miller's serve. The teams traded points to leave the score tied at 12. Spiked now had the MVP back in the game, Wheeler, and with their girls, Miller, Rene' Barefoot, and Amanda McCoy producing, they had swung momentum completely back in their favor.

The Wilsons took a brief 13-12 lead, but Spiked tied the game and then they finally got to championship point. It was fitting that team captain, Ed Mininger had the serve. Mininger was able to put the ball in play, and after a mishit by The Wilsons, Spiked Punch had overcome an eight point deficit in the final game to win the summer league championship.

SPIKED PUNCH (ISU)