Students Win Annual Volleyball Game Against Jesuits

February 2, 2011 – For the second year in a row, Georgetown students swept the Jesuits in the annual Spike-a-Jesuit volleyball competition held Feb. 1 at Yates Field House.

The event is part of the university’s Jesuit Heritage Week, which runs from Jan. 30-Feb. 5.

Before last year, the Jesuits owned the competition for a decade.

Change of Pace

“I know a lot of the Jesuits were clinging to that tradition of those 10 years that they had against us,” Margaret Massimo (C’11) said. “But it’s nice to see a little turnaround, a nice change of pace.”

The students, donning navy blue shirts, dominated their way in the first set, cruising to leads of 14-4 and 22-7 before winning 25-11.

The Jesuits, sporting gray threads, regrouped after a poor first match, taking a 13-7 lead in the second match.

But the students rallied to tie up the second set 13-13. The lead teetered back and forth between the rivals until the students clinched a victory, taking the title in the best-of-three series.

‘Lowest Moments’

Despite the students winning the first two sets and the competition, the two sides played two more exhibition games with the Jesuits, winning both games 25-11 and 25-18.

“I’m too emotional right now,” joked Rev. Kevin Fitzgerald, S.J., after the match. “I’m not really able to come up with any words to capture this moment, one of the lowest moments I must say.”

Despite the defeat, both sides were happy to come together in one of the lighter events of Jesuit Heritage Week.

“It’s one of the great events we do all year,” said Rev. Patrick Rogers S.J., director of campus ministry. “We love it.”

Casual Setting

Although the name of the game at Yates was winning for pride, Spike-a-Jesuit offers an opportunity for students and Jesuits to come together for fun outside of formal settings such as the classroom or Mass.

“It reminds us that we have this resource available to us in the Jesuits,” said Massimo, who co-organized the event as president of the school athletic spirit group Hoya Blue. “We don’t get to spend time like this in a casual setting.”

Rev. Philip Boroughs, vice president of mission and ministry and Jesuit Heritage Week advisor, presented the trophy to students after the game.

“We’re very proud of the energy and the excitement and the participation of the students,” he said. “Thank you for your enthusiasm and the joy of being together.”