Nellis Airman helps propel Air Force Volleyball team to championship Published June 4, 2010 By Caitlin Fairchild Nellis Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- As an outside hitter, Alexandra Eppert loves it when the opposing team cannot return her spikes. "It's pretty nice when you hit the ball and no one can pass it back," she said. Eppert's skills helped propel the Air Force Women's Indoor Volleyball team to victory in the Armed Forces Championships, held May 3 to May 11 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in N. C. Additionally, the Air Force Women's Beach Volleyball team came in second place. This was the first year the Championships featured a beach volleyball tournament. Although only ten airmen tried out for the women's team, they took the competition seriously, practicing for two hours twice a day. "When I played two years ago, we did a lot of conditioning," said the senior airman who works in Protocol at the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center when not acting as a power player on the court. "This time we played straight through. It was a different type of endurance, but it was fun." Each of the service's teams played each other twice, but Eppert said that the Air Force considered the Navy Women's Team their main competitor as they entered the tournament. "It threw everyone out of whack when they lost to the Army," she said. Due to the upset, the final match pitted the Air Force against the Army for the championship. "I think we just wanted it more, "she said of their final match, winning three games out of five. Later, the Navy came back to defeat the Army, and claim the silver medal. Eppert first began playing as a high school freshman at Valley High School in Las Vegas. Once she hit the court, her coach placed her immediately as an outside hitter. "I guess I had a different approach, and the coach just kind of determined it for me," she said. Since joining the Air Force, volleyball has remained a regular part of Eppert's routine. She first played for the Air Force Women's Team in 2008. However, in 2009 she was on temporary duty in Korea and was unable to make the tryouts. Recently, she played on an intramural team with the 99th Contracting Squadron this past sports season at Nellis. She also plays with an adult league once a week at the Chuck Minker Sports Complex, which she says provides a more competitive spirit. At the championship this year, Eppert was exposed to a variety of new experiences. "I got to practice with the beach volleyball team. Maybe next year I'll try out for beach volleyball," she said, "It was definitely different, jumping in the sand. I like it." Nellis Sports Director Larry Bridges, who oversees applications for Air Force team tryouts, said he takes pride in Eppert's performance and hopes to see her participation on the Air Force Women's team continue. "She is a dynamic athlete," said Mr. Bridges. "We need more like her."
