Air Force Men, Army Women Capture Volleyball Championships

Air Force (5-1) dominated the men's competition, jumping to a 4-0 record after two days of the double round-robin tournament. Air Force then clinched the 1996 title with a 15-10, 17-15, 13-15, 15-7 win over Army.

Army, the men's champion the past two years, finished second at 4-2. Navy finished third at 3-3, and the Marine Corps went winless in six matches.

In winning the title, Air Force placed six players on the armed forces all-tournament team. Earning positions were Capt. Craig Allton (Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.), 2nd Lt. John Napier (Los Angeles Air Force Base), Staff Sgt. Kelly Bronson (Osan Air Base, Korea), Senior Airman Eric Christianson (Beale Air Force Base, Calif.), Airman 1st Class James Garrido (Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.) and Airman 1st Class Scott Flack (Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska).

Air Force head coach Capt. Dale Grupe (University of Kentucky, Lexington) and Master Sgt. Kliengsak Nimpchaimanatham (Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.) earned coaching spots.

Soldiers earning berths on the all-tournament team were Capt. Patrick Keane of Fort Knox, Ky., Spc. Thomas Porr of Fort Campbell, Ky., Spc. Jason Janda of Fort Irwin, Calif., and Pfc. Richard Hudson of Fort Carson, Colo.

Earning Navy all-tournament honors were Petty Officers 3rd Class Brian Cremascoli of the USS Kitty Hawk and Matt Galvin of North Island Naval Air Station, Calif.

In the women's competition, Army got help from Navy in winning the 1996 title. Tied with Air Force at 4-1 entering the final day, Army watched as Navy upset Air Force in the tournament's 11th game. The Air Force loss, combined with Army's 15-5, 15-7, 15-5 win over the Marine Corps in the final match, gave Army the title.

Air Force finished in second place at 4-2. Navy, the two-time defending women's champions, finished at 3-3, while Marine Corps women ended at 0-6.

Six Army women earned all-tournament team honors, joining Army head coach Toafala Iafeta (Phoenix) and assistant coach Chief Warrant Officer Leroy Latshaw (Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii). Taking all-tournament honors were 1st Lt. Angela Shinn (U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.), 2nd Lt. Sunny Barse (Camp Stanley, Korea) and Sgt. Kristie Dean (Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.).

Also earning Army spots were Spc. Nina Jackson (Fort Sam Houston, Texas), Spc. Trina Skinner (Fort Belvoir, Va.) and Pfc. Stephanie Taylor (Fort Hood, Texas).

Both Air Force and Navy added three players to the squad. Air Force players were 1st Lt. Christine Eiler (Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.), 2nd Lt. Billeye Juarez (Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.) and 2nd Lt. Juliana Adair (U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.).

Navy players earning positions were Petty Officer 2nd Class Susan Ryals (Hauza, Okinawa), Petty Officer 3rd Class Jacqueline Grant (Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Fla.) and Seaman Stephanie Stuck (San Diego Naval Base).

Women's Standings
              W    L    PCT.    GB
Army          5    1    .833    --
Air Force     4    2    .600     1
Navy          3    3    .500     2
Marine Corps  0    6    .000     5

Men's Standings
              W     L    PCT.    GB
Air Force     5     1    .833    --
Army          4     2    .600     1
Navy          3     3    .500     2
Marine Corps  0     6    .000     5

Women's Tournament Scores
Day 1
Navy def. Marine Corps 7-15, 15-9, 15-12, 16-14
Army def. Navy 15-8, 15-5, 15-10
Air Force def. Marine Corps 15-5, 15-3, 15-2

Day 2
Air Force def. Army 8-15, 15-5, 15-10, 10-15, 16-14
Army def. Marine Corps 15-8, 15-2, 15-6
Air Force def. Navy 17-16, 17-16, 15-10
Navy def. Marine Corps 15-7, 15-7, 15-1

Day 3
Army def. Air Force 16-17, 15-12, 15-7, 15-8
Air Force def. Marine Corps 15-8, 15-4, 15-9
Army def. Navy 15-13, 15-1, 15-9

Day 4
Navy def. Air Force 9-15, 15-10, 15-12, 14-16, 15-13
Army def. Marine Corps 15-5, 15-7, 15-5

Men's Tournament Scores Day 1
Air Force def. Army 8-15, 16-14, 10-15, 15-8, 15-13
Navy def. Marine Corps 15-5, 15-3, 15-4
Air Force def. Marine Corps 15-8, 15-5, 15-5

Day 2
Air Force def. Marine Corps 12-15, 15-6, 15-5, 15-9
Air Force def. Navy 15-13, 15-10, 9-15, 15-13
Army def. Marine Corps 15-10, 15-7, 15-8
Army def. Navy 15-12, 11-15, 10-15, 15-3, 15-0

Day 3
Navy def. Marine Corps 15-3, 15-7, 15-3
Army def. Navy 15-6, 16-17, 15-11, 13-15, 15-10
Air Force def. Army 15-10, 17-15, 13-15, 15-7
      
Day 4
Army def. Marine Corps 15-13, 16-17, 15-11, 15-12
Navy def. Air Force 13-15, 15-10, 16-17, 16-14, 15-13