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UVI Men's Volleyball Team Falls Short in Championship Match

Sept. 1, 2008 — With a chance to keep the title at home for the first time in eight years, the University of the Virgin Islands' men's volleyball team put seven-time defending champs Club USA against the ropes Sunday in a nail-biting final game, but came up short at UVI's 8th Annual Labor Day Invitational Volleyball Tournament.
After a straight-set loss in the opening match against Club USA, the male Bucs found themselves down two sets to none in the final match, their backs against the wall. But instead of throwing in the towel, the Bucs found a second wind, rallying to win the next two sets 25-18 and 25-18. But they didn't have enough left in the tank to pull off the upset. They lost to Club USA 11-15 in the final set.
Sunday's game was the closest UVI has ever come to defeating Club USA in the eight-year history of the tournament.
"Even though we were disappointed not to come out with a victory in the final game against Club USA, the resilience of our players spells the beginning of what's anticipated to be a very special intercollegiate volleyball season," said Jason Liburd, coach of UVI's men's volleyball team. "I was rather pleased with the overall team effort, and especially satisfied with the impressive attacking from St. Clair Hodge."
Hodge, a former member of the St. Kitts national volleyball team and one of UVI's newest recruits, was named the tournament's best spiker, while Tom Liszka wrapped up the tournament with his third consecutive most outstanding player award. Club USA's Chris Lishko was named best setter.
The UVI Bucs volleyball team finished with a record of two wins and two losses for the tournament. Both wins came against the St. Croix All Stars and the British Virgin Islands Club Team.
The opening weekend of UVI's 2008 volleyball season kicks off in Puerto Rico Sept. 12 and 13 with games against American University and Sacred Heart University. The following weekend the team will come back to the territory with home games against the University of Puerto Rico Humacao and the University of Puerto Rico Bayamon.
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