MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Competition was "served" during the opening night of the 2011 USAA Pendleton Cup Intramural Volleyball League at Camp Pendleton’s 33-Area gym, Sept. 21.
Marine Corps Community Services’ Pendleton Cup series provides active duty personnel, regardless of skill or experience, an opportunity to take part in a variety of competitive unit sports while competing for monetary prizes to be given to their respective units’ funds.
This year’s Volleyball League consists of nine teams; Naval Hospital ‘Holey Poley’ defending champions, Supply Battalion ‘Dragons 1’ and ‘2’, MAG-39 ‘Hellhounds’, 1st Marine Division ‘Locals’, Military Police Company ‘Team Brick’, 1st Medical Battalion ‘Balls Out’, CLR-17 and 9th Communication’s Battalion ‘Islanders’.
“This is a great way to bring a bunch of Marines from our battalion together and mix a little bit of fun with some competition,” said Fautua Thompson, Supply Battalion's Dragon 1 team captain. “We came in second place last year, so our whole team is determined to bring back the heat for this series.”
Each team played between two and three games for opening night, and throughout the series they will each play a total of eight games. The units that participate are awarded points toward the Pendleton Cup competition, and the winning teams are selected for playoffs that are scheduled for the end of October.
“We have the best turnout we’ve had in over four years,” said Phillip Bryant, athletics coordinator, referring to the nine participating teams this year. “The Varsity Volleyball team recruited a lot of our players, so that really got the word out. There’s a lot of talent here, so I’m sure the competition will be great.”
The matches are scheduled to take place every Tuesday and Thursday night and the next games of the series are scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 27, at the 33-Area Gym. For more information about the Volleyball League or Pendleton Cup, call at 760-725-6614 or visit www.mccscp.com.