Ganbarimasho wins battle of beatens

The bumpers, setters, and spikers of Ganbarimasho were finally able to leave the Pacific Islands Club on a high note as they notched their first win in nine attempts by sweeping …But We Don’t Swallow on Tuesday night in continuation of the 6th Annual Coors Light Four-Person Beach Volleyball League.

Team captain Andrew Ortega and Quincy Johnson worked together to hammer out the 33-12 win in the battle of 0-8 teams, but the most difficult was the first when …But We Don’t Swallow had their highest point total of any set this season. Ganbarimasho eked out the 11-7 victory in the first set, and things got easier from there.

Despite Jay Worrall’s selfless display of digs, …But We Don’t Swallow was unable to break the four-point mark in the second set, and bowed out of the third with only a point.

According to league coordinator Jon Cramer, no team in the history of the league has managed to last the entire season without winning a set, but with only three nights of action remaining, …But We Don’t Swallow is on track to finish with a perfect record. After Tuesday night’s performance, the non-swallowers have yet to break into three figures with a league low 71 points scored, and they have had no problem setting the bar for points allowed with a 297, which 26 points more than Ganbarimasho.

From the bottom rung to the upper crust, the L.L. Sleese Staks took care of one of their fiercest competitors when they swept the Air Biscuits for their eighth win of the season. After squeaking by the Biscuits in the first set 11-8, the L.L. Sleese Staks followed with an identical 11-8 score in the second to secure the win in the best of three match, and let one rip in the third, 11-0.

The loss was more devastating than the score differential as it sent the Air Biscuits into fourth place at 5-2 behind the idle Beach Side Rockers (6-2), and only the top three team get a piece of the end of season prize money.

While the Staks are on top, they are hoping that they won’t have to share the PIC penthouse with Libweiirs!!, who took a broom to the Crashers to improve their record to 7-1 with only two games remaining.

Libweiirs!! were on a mission in their first set as they walloped the Crashers, 11-3, but received plenty of fight in their subsequent sets. Although they were able to eke out wins in the second and third sets, Libweiirs!! had to work hard to down the Crashers, 11-9, 11-9.

Libweiirs!! has a decent chance of winning out for a chance at the title, but still has to face Yacchatta!! (2-5) tonight at 7:30pm, and the Small Hustlers (5-3) next week, but they have to hope that the L.L. Sleese Staks suffer some bad luck against the Smackers in their final game of the season.

The most evenly matched game of the night went down to the wire, as the Small Hustlers knocked off the Smackers after the third set was pushed into extra points. After taking the first set 11-9, the Small Hustlers had the tables turned on them when the Smackers won the second set by the same score.

The lead changed hands several times as both squads refused to quit in the third, but the Small Hustlers gained the advantage in extended play, and emerged with 13-11 win to improve their record to 5-3. The Smackers slid to seventh place with a record of 3-5.