Olympians Win Flo Hyman Volleyball Match

Rita Crockett-Royster and Laurie Flachmier-Corbelli had 10 kills each to lead the 1984 U.S. Olympic volleyball team to a 7-15, 15-9, 15-4, 15-2 win over the Ambassador All-Stars in the Flo Hyman memorial match Saturday at the Bren Events Center.

The Olympians, who also got eight kills and six blocks from Rose Magers-Powell, saw the Ambassadors use a series of quick spikes to take the first game. But, they then used their experience and front line play to win the next three games.

“Overall, I thought the game was a lot of fun,” said Crockett-Royster, who also had three service aces. “It was not a matter of us adjusting to them as it was us adjusting to each other.”

The All-Stars took a 2-0 lead in the first game and later extended their lead to 6-2 before the Olympians could narrow it to 6-4 on a service ace by Rose Magers-Powell and an All-Star net violation.

The All-Stars then extended their lead to 9-4 on spikes by middle blocker Suzanne Eagye and Tara Cross and a spike block by Ruth Lawanson. After the Olympians narrowed it to 9-7, the All-Stars scored six unanswered points to clinch the first game.

The winners used three kills by Flachmier-Corbelli and a service ace by Crockett to take an early 7-3 lead in the second game. The Ambassadors narrowed the Olympian lead to 10-9 before the latter scored six straight points to take the game.

The Olympians continued their domination in the third game as they started off with 10 straight points. The All-Stars cut the Olympian deficit to 11-4 before the latter got three kills from Jeanne Beauprey-Reeves and a spike block by Jullie Vollertsen to seal the win.

In the fourth game, the Olympians took a 12-0 lead before Lawanson blocked a Crockett spike to give her team its first point. After Trisonya Thompson slammed home a spike for her team’s second point, the Olympians got two spikes from Beauprey-Reeves and one spike from Vollertsen to close out the game and match.