COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado –
During one pivotal point in the All-Army volleyball team’s match with Air Force, outside hitter Michael Tuimavave powered a thunderous strike. He strutted back playing to the crowd as fellow Army players let out screams of triumph.
The score put Army up 24-12 in the third set on the second day of the 2024 All Armed Forces Volleyball tournament Sept. 12.
Spc. Francisco Bautista-Santa, a 6-3 middle blocker from Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, closed out the set with a kill at the net to put Army up 2-1 over Air Force. Army (4-0) then took the final set in dramatic fashion. Right outside hitter Asaleti Telea fired a spike through the Air Force defense to put Army up 25-24. The contest ended on an Air Force penalty.
With Army’s fourth straight triumph, a 3-1 win over Air Force, the Soldiers earned enough victories to be crowned tournament champion on the second day of the three-day tournament.
“I’m really blessed to be part of this team,” said Telea, a specialist stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. “It means a lot to me playing along with my brothers.”
Tuimavave, setter Julio Andino, middle blocker Gabriel Misilagi, and outside hitters Telea and Joe Ulrich all contributed points in the final set.
“Across the board everyone is great,” Misilagi said. “All 12 of us, we all put in the work and the talent level was sky high.”
Although only a few dozen spouses, family and supporters sat inside Fort Carson’s William Reed Special Events Center, the Armed Forces Volleyball players created a raucous atmosphere, as All Armed Forces Sports held its first volleyball tournament in five years. Volleyball competition went on indefinite hiatus following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Earlier that day Army defeated Navy in five sets, 25-21, 23-25, 25-23 and 32-30. Andino ended the game with a block to give the Soldiers the win.
Andino, a Soldier from Puerto Rico, acted as the team’s only true setter throughout the tournament. The commander of the team’s second setter called that player back to duty days before the tournament.
“Other than running the court and being exhausted, he is also the psychologist,” Army coach, Sgt. 1st Class Jaime Gonzalez said. “He’s got to talk to [the players] and make sure they’re in the right place so that we could actually have a clean set.”
Gonzalez originally cut Telea, a 21 year old from American Samoa. But the coach changed his mind and Telea responded by making critical kills during the tournament from the right side.
“He was the surprise of the tournament,” Gonzalez said.
Tuimavave, the team’s captain and kills leader, contributed kills and aces when his team needed him throughout the tourney.
“Thank God that I have him on my team,” Gonzalez said. “He did a lot of things that we needed and he terminated a lot of plays that we needed.
The Army’s 12 players began training camp at Fort Carson on Aug. 22 and practiced two to three times a day for three weeks, while also having gym workout sessions. They built camaraderie with team dinners and taking visits to a nearby lake.
Air Force middle blocker Anthony Clowers and Staff Sgt. Trey White did their best to keep the Airmen (1-3) in the game. Clowers made key blocks while White delivered kills. However, Air Force couldn’t keep pace with the Army’s hard hitters.
Navy bounces back
The All-Navy women’s team lost their first two games on day one and stood on the brink of falling to 0-3 Thursday morning vs. Army. After dropping the first set 25-22, Army routed Navy in the second, 25-13.
Navy trailed 9-11 in the third set, putting the Sailors in position to lose their third straight.
Then Navy mounted a rally that would carry them into their next match against Air Force. Navy coach Enrico Discacciati said the coaching staff changed the team’s defense and game plan.
Navy rebounded to win the set 25-21, then defeated the Soldiers two more times 25-20 and 15-12.
“Lots of talk helps out tremendously, telling them it’s okay to mistake, that’s the game of volleyball,” Navy assistant coach Asante Lopez said. “Once they got that in their brains it went smooth sailing from there and they just played their games.”
Petty Officer 3rd Class Pauline Von Dinklage-Mapu led Navy (2-2) in kills along with twin outside hitters Jamie and Jordan Llwellyn.
“We spread the offense very evenly,” Discacciati said. “I think that [led] to our success.”
Jordan Llwellyn, a 2024 Naval Academy grad, had the two biggest points of the match, recording two kills in the final set. She scored the decisive point with a tip kill to win the match. Navy then went on to defeat Air Force 25-22, 21-25, 17-25, 25-20, 15-13.
Von Dinklage-Mapu suffered a right ankle injury, late in set three of Navy’s matchup with Air Force. The coaches said she could miss the last day of the tournament.
In other matchups the Air Force men earned their first win over Navy (1-3) by winning in four sets, 21-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-19.
The Army women (3-1) bounced back from their Navy loss to defeat Air Force in three sets, 25-13, 25-23, and 25-14. Air Force (1-3) won the last Armed Forces Volleyball championship in 2019.
Although the Army men clinched the tourney crown, the Soldiers must still play two more games Friday.