436th MXS B team sweeps 736h AMXS in volleyball opener

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Chuck Walker
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Coming into the season the 436th Maintenance Squadron B volleyball team set a goal of making it to the championship round.

If Monday night's result is any indication, the 436th MXS B team is off to a good start.

The 436th MXS B got solid performances from hitters Eti Alesana, Roger Parsons and Emmanuel Perez as they swept the defending champion 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron 25-13 and 25-15 in the season opening volleyball match April 2, 2012 at the Fitness Center on Dover Air Force Base, Del.

Alesana, 436th MXS B player-coach, said his team has been practicing the past three weeks and it paid off in the opener.

"We actually looked pretty good," Alesana said. "I told them before the game that we were playing one of the best teams in the league. It feels awesome to beat them."

The 436 MXS B put Game 1 away early, scoring a string of eight straight points to win 25-13. In Game 2, the 436th MXS B ran off a string of six consecutive points to take a 13-4 lead and they coasted the rest of the way to win the match 25-15.

Alesana said the chemistry his hitters and setters have been able to develop has helped and was evident in the season-opening victory.

"At practice we determined who our setters and hitters would be," Alesana said. "Our defense and our receiving of serve was impressive, so was our hitting. I was impressed with how we were able to pass the ball to the setter during the match."

The 736th AMXS player-coach Jason Jones said his team is still a work in progress.

"We had a lot of regular players out, and a lot of new talent on the team that we are trying to integrate together," Jones said. "We are doing a lot of experimenting, trying to see what everyone's skill level is and what strategies will work. We're just trying to get the chemistry down."

Alesana said his team had an impressive start to the season, but they still had areas where they could improve.

"We need to improve our serving," Alesana said. "We had some serves go into the net. If we improve there we should have a very solid ball club."