Bennett Serves Up Ping-pong Tournament

The smell of sweat was in the air, and athletes were working hard on the playing field. Last week, students in Bennett Hall were given the chance to compete in a table tennis tournament.

Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a game set on a table that is 2.74 meters long and 1.53 meters wide. There is a net in the middle of the table, separating two teams. Teams can consist of one single or two people, doubles.

The competition was Sept. 23 in the first floor commons. It was a single elimination doubles tournament, with 10 teams competing. Seeds were drawn out of a hat and the team that drew the no. 1 slot received a bye in the first round.

Competitors were given a couple minutes for a warm-up before each game. After deciding who would serve first, the game would start. The first team to serve the ball serves five times and switches with the other team for five serves until one team reaches 21 points with a two point lead.

The championship came down to Derick Allen and Philip Nguyen, two soccer players, against basketball players Gabe Belobrajdic and Kyle Schreiner. After a best of three series, Belobrajdic and Schreiner won the championship.

Residents in the dorm thought the event was supported by its friendly competition.

"It was a lot of fun," Katelyn Brockus, sophomore said. "I never knew how intense a game of ping pong could get."

One competitor, freshman Adam Henn, felt that the tournament was a good experience.

"There was a great turnout and everyone seemed like they had a good time," said Henn. "It's good to get people that live here to get to know each other better."