Staks still first, …but We Don’t Swallow still worst

With only four nights of action remaining in the 6th Annual Coors Light Four-Person Beach Volleyball League, the L. L. Sleese Staks improved their chances for a first place finish in the standings by taking all three sets against…But We Don’t Swallow during a Thursday night full of sweeps on the sand court at the Pacific Islands Club.

Usually one of two things can happen when the league’s top team meets the bottom for a match, and the worst of the two panned out for …But We Don’t Swallow, as the L.L. Sleese Staks walloped the bottom feeders by a combined score of 33-3.

After getting skunked 11-0 in the first two sets, the non-swallowers rebounded for their highest point total of the night, but they were unable to get their fourth tally before the Staks notched game point.

The Staks earned their seventh win of the season to improve to 7-1 on the season with only two games remaining, including one of their most difficult contests of the season when they challenge the Air Biscuits next Tuesday, June 7, at 6:30pm. Since losing to the Libweiirs!! on Thursday, May 26, the Staks have refocused their efforts and are ready for next week’s game. Unfortunately, the Staks will be without prodigy Melissa Halaby, as she will be in South America as a part of Destino Peru.

While the news is not good for the L.L. Sleese Staks, it is music to the ears of the Crashers, as the Destino Peru is also taking the other half of the CNMI Women’s Beach Volleyball team when they challenge the Mili Saiki-less Libweiirs!! next Tuesday.

The Libweiirs!! was without Saiki’s leadership on Thursday as well, but they managed to sweep the Monkeys and Bananas by a combined score of 33-19.

Jazz Rosokow and Angie Mister directed traffic during the 11-6 opening set win, and followed it up in the second with an efficient 11-4 score to clinch their sixth win of the season. Every point counts in the Coors Light-sponsored event as there is no playoff, so Libweiirs!! scrapped for their third set win of the night by edging the Nan Intharaluk-less Monkeys and Bananas 11-9.

The Beach Side Rockers also earned their sixth win of the season on Thursday night by sweeping the Crashers 11-2, 11-5, and 11-2, but they are still on the outside of the top three looking in at 6-2.

The passing prowess of captain Paul Dujua was not enough to lift the Crashers to their fourth win of the season, as the Martin Castro and Linda Anastacio kept the Rockers in the race for first place.

The Beach Side Rockers have what it takes to take on the top teams in head-to-head match-ups, but the losses they suffered to Libweiirs!! and the L. L. Staks early in the season have left them looking for love from the congregation.

While Ganbarimasho isn’t exactly one of the teams vying for one of the top spots, they have a roster full of motivated players, but they took their eighth shot in the chops by dropping three sets to Yacchatta!!, 11-9, 11-2, and 11-3.

The battered and bruised Yacchatta!! squad notched its second win of the season against the winless Ganbarimasho despite fielding their three-toed captain. Without having enough healthy players to man the sand, the statuesque Kimiko Hasegawa led by example as the captain manned the back court with a pair of broken digits on her right foot. It didn’t hurt having the league’s top overall pick in Tyce Mister on the court either.

Yacchatta!! will have their work cut out for them next Tuesday when they face Libweiirs!! at 7:30pm, but at least they won’t have the pressure of Ganbarimasho and …But We Don’t Swallow. Rain or shine, somebody has got to win, as the battle of 0-8 teams comes to a head at 8:30pm on Tuesday.