Esemuoel finally breaks into win column

After waiting the entire length of the regular season, Esemuoel (1-11) made their way to the winning side of town when they swept Machigainai! (1-11) in straight sets to earn their first victory of the year, in continuation of the 6th Annual Miller 4-Person Beach Volleyball League.

Esemuoel broke their 11-game losing streak that started back in September by outscoring the lackluster Machigainai! squad 11-2,11-3 and 11-9 in their season finale. After so many weeks of anguish, the jubilant players spontaneously began dancing and cheering upon the sand court at the Pacific Islands Club.

Were it not for the incredible serves coming off of the hand of Kaycee Rengaelur, Machigainai! may have stood a chance, but the talented rocball player had his opponents diving all over the court with his affinity for aces.

Captain May Sweeny was almost as elated by the win as she was surprised. In the waning moments of the second and clinching set, the PIC Clubmate mentioned that they had been on the losing side for so long that she didn’t have a celebratory dance.

Teammate Felipe Quiroz didn’t have the same problem, as the tennis instructor ran in place and kicked up sand behind him. Teresa Miller failed to join in, fearing that the referee would deduct points for their rhythmically challenged display of joy.

Machigainai! wasn’t the only team that found themselves in the dustpan, as the Bill Bratzski’s (5-6) were swept by the Sleezy Lambleezies (11-1).

The Sleezies found them selves in a must-win situation, as they needed to take three sets and score 26 points in order to overtake Flush It! for the top spot in the regular season standings—and that’s exactly what they did.

Darrol Atalig captained his crew of Scott Eck, Laurie Peterka, and Dan Westphal to a 11-3, 11-2, 11-1 victory over a dejected Bratzski’s squad to catapult the Sleezy Lambleezies into the winner’s circle.

The Clam Smackers (5-6) kept their playoff hopes alive by upsetting Tell Them Tom Braider Sent You (8-3), as Gabriel White led his team to take two of three sets. The Clams took the first set handily, 11-3, before the Randy Steele led Tom Braider’s got their revenge in the second, 13-11.

The Clams put on the clamps in the third and final set, as they dominated the Tom Braider’s en route to a 11-4 smacking. With the win, the Clam Smackers assured themselves of a playoff spot, but the Bratzski’s will decide their fate when they meet up with the Clams next Tuesday, Dec. 7 in the season finale.

If the Clam Smackers can sweep the Bill Bratzski’s, the Bananas (5-7) are in the post-season by virtue of a greater number of sets won (16). Even if the Bratzski’s lose, they have to win at least one set to get in to the “Elite Eight.”

All talk of the playoffs went down the drain for Shoot The Winkle on Thursday, as the spirited team led by Nikki Shryack was edged out in a close third set by the Dragon Flares.

After splitting the first two sets at one apiece, the Flares eked out the win by an 11-9 score to seal the Winkle’s fate.