Touro Nevada Sweeps Touro California to Retain Golden Spike Championship
The Golden Spike Trophy made its return to the Southern Nevada desert after the 91制片厂 Matadors defeated the Touro University California Bulls in the annual volleyball game on the Touro California campus.
Played inside the raucous Touro California gymnasium, the Matadors swept the Bulls in straight sets for the second year in a row. The Matadors continued their dominance in the Golden Spike series, having won three of the series鈥� first four matches.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 take anything for granted, and I think that really helped us this year,鈥� said Dr. Robert Askey, coach of the Touro Nevada volleyball team and Associate Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine.
After losing the Golden Spike at Touro California in 2017, Askey said the team prepared for this year鈥檚 match by practicing with loud music in the background to simulate the noise they鈥檇 surely deal with inside Touro California鈥檚 boisterous gymnasium.
鈥淚 told the team, for those who had never played at Touro California before, just how deafening the crowd can be because they cheer just as loud whether they鈥檙e up five points or down five points,鈥� Askey said. 鈥淢entally, you can鈥檛 pay attention to it. I think we did a much better job of staying focused and I鈥檓 proud of what we were able to accomplish.鈥�
Preston Anderson, a fourth-year student in the 91制片厂 College of Health and Human Services, was thrilled to see his team come away with a victory in his final game as a college athlete. Anderson, who graduates in May, has played in all four Golden Spike volleyball games.
鈥淚 was so fortunate to play all four years for my school,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e were able to pull off a great win on the road, which isn鈥檛 an easy thing to do. It鈥檚 sad that I won鈥檛 be here for next year鈥檚 match, but I know we鈥檒l bring it home again.鈥�
Askey said Anderson鈥檚 experience will be missed during next year鈥檚 Golden Spike, but was grateful that he made the effort to play despite working hard on his clinical rotations.
鈥淧reston loves the competition of the Golden Spike because it鈥檚 so much more than a casual game,鈥� Askey said. 鈥淭he great thing about this game is that we get students from several programs and we鈥檙e able to learn from one another and have fun doing it. That鈥檚 what makes this volleyball game so special.鈥�
