Mister, Nelson relieve salad years in For The Luck of Volleyball

Tyce Mister, second from right, and Chris Nelson, right, pose with runners-up Marc Danga, left, and Steven Hong after winning the men’s division of the For The Luck of Volleyball last March 26 at the sand courts of Crowne Plaza Resort in Garapan. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Former Micronesian Games beach volleyball gold medalists Tyce Mister and Chris Nelson brought back the hands of time to win the men’s division of the For The Luck of Volleyball last March 26 at the sand courts of Crowne Plaza Resort in Garapan.

Nelson and Mister, who won the Micro Games gold medal on home soil in 2006 on Saipan, played under the team name Lucky Leprechauns and swept the Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association-organized competition that also served as a qualifier for this year’s Pacific Mini Games. The duo beat Volley Bros’ Marc Danga and Steven Hong in the finals, 21-13, to the top the 15-team field.

The eventual champs started off with a 21-9 victory over It’s The Wind. They followed that up with a 21-13 win over Need Air. Volley Bros kicked off their campaign with a 21-11 triumph over 24L and then booked the semis match against Lucky Leprechauns after beating Chupapi, 21-15.

Lucky Leprechauns eased into the championship round with the aforementioned win over Danga and Hong. Volley Bros then duked it out in the loser’s bracket finals against Baconator and earned a second shot at Nelson and Mister after prevailing 21-11, but lost steam in the end against their erstwhile tormentors.

Mister said it was great playing with Nelson in the one-day For The Luck of Volleyball tournament again.

“We are so lucky to be able to train and practice in such a beautiful spot. We’ve been playing regular pickup games for years and years. This is the first tournament in a while that we’ve been able to play together, lots of fun! Chris is really fantastic to play with as he is very competitive yet knows how to keep that balance of fun,” he said.

The Gold’s Gym Saipan manager said he’s also stoked for the up-and-coming players in beach volleyball.

“I’m super excited to see some of the younger players coming out and play beach volleyball. It’s cool to see the improvement. I look forward to more fun competition in the near future,” he said.
Nelson echoed Mister when he said that it was amazing to play with his old partner again.

“It’s always great to play with Tyce and it was so nice to get out and be able to play in an actual tournament. Tyce and I have had some fun matches together over the years. We played in the Pacific Games down in New Caledonia, played the Australian National Team in an FIVB qualifier, and won gold in the Micronesian Games. We have also been on volleyball trips together to Samoa, Hawaii, the Philippines, Japan, and Guam. He’s a terrific mentor and friend. Tyce is such a big part of the local volleyball community, not just coaching, but volunteering, brainstorming, setting up poles, courts, and nets.”

The Flame Tree TV president added that For The Luck of Volleyball was also a good avenue to train players under the CNMI national beach volleyball pool for the Mini Games.

“We have been training some of the younger players the last few weeks and it was great to see them get out there and perform in game-like situations. There was some great play all around. We are looking forward to using the Pacific Mini Games as a stepping stone into expanding beach volleyball in the local community. Saipan is a great place to play volleyball, in fact I think it’s the best place in the world when you talk about weather, sand, setting, courts, and overall vibe. We really do have something special here and as you travel and get older you realize that more and more,” he said.

Nelson also can’t wait for the Mini Games to unfurl in the CNMI this coming June 17-25.

“I’m looking forward to continuing the training for the Mini Games and to cheer the team on. We are going to host a really top notch event with some skilled players and it’s going to be great for the community to see all the players from around the Pacific and all the camaraderie that comes with an event like this one,” he said.