FORT CARSON, Colo. –
In the first day of the 2024 Armed Forces Volleyball Tournament, the Army men and women won decisively in their first two matches Wednesday defeating both the Navy and Air Force.
The Soldiers dominated their opening contests vs Air Force with the men and women each winning their first matches with the Airmen in three straight sets.
Armed Forces volleyball teams are competing for the first time since 2019.
The Army Men (2-0) scored 5 straight paints to take the first set vs Air Force 25-13, and won the next two sets 25-22, 25-23. Sgt. Michael Tuimavave, an outside hitter, led Army with powerful kills.
In the second men’s game in the round robin tournament, Army won the first set 25-18 decisively before dropping the second set 22-25. However the Soldiers closed out the match winning 25-20 and 25-18.
The Army women, led by Staff Sgt. Latoya Marshall and Capt. Sydney Morriss keyed the Soldiers two opening victories. Marshall made timely kills and Morriss’ play at the net helped Army beat Air Force in straight sets, 25-12, 25-22, and 25-23 in the teams’ opening matchup.
Army then won on to defeat Navy. After Army defeated Navy 25-19 in the opening set, Navy took control the second set as Army lost 15-25. However the Soldiers (2-0) won the next two sets 25-22 and 25-20.
The Navy men (1-1) defeated Air Force (0-2) in the longest match of the day, to earn their first win in five sets. In a game with numerous twists, the Sailors won the first two sets 26-24 and 25-20. But the Airman rallied to win the next two games with Navy losing 22-25 and 16-25. In the final set, Navy won 15-10.
Meanwhile the Air Force women (1-1) closed out the night by defeating the Navy women
(0-2) in five sets 25-17, 22-25, 19-25, 25-21, 15-10.