The Pledge Mistress Ch. 42

By Saturday morning the crowds were cheering for the Four-Betas. There was no question the "sex-bitches" were proving themselves in competition and had overcome tremendous obstacles. Their nonchalant attitude about playing in the nude in such a public setting fascinated the multitude of spectators and drew long lines of potential pledges and curiosity seekers to the Four-Beta Sorority information table. Sorority flyers and business cards had to be re-stocked several times, especially on Saturday when the number of information tables was reduced from 18 to 8.

The weekend edition of the campus newspaper put out a sympathetic article about the Four-Beta Sorority that showed the players from the back in a couple of photos, but mostly focused on an interview with the out-going chapter president. Alexandra noted that her sorority's emphasis on physical fitness was an important factor in her team's solid performance during the tournament. When asked about the rule change that forced her sophomores and freshmen to play naked, she responded:

"The Sorority Sports League made a rule change about the uniforms. Obviously we didn't agree with it, but our team decided to play, no matter what. Our philosophy is to never back down from a challenge. If the Sorority Sports League wanted to challenge us with making that rule change, the only thing I can say is that I hope we met that challenge and, as we like to say it, 'bore honest witness' as athletes and competitors."

By Saturday, the Four-Betas were the clear favorites of the audience. The crowd became more mixed as women, alumni, and professors joined the male students that had come in on Thursday and Friday. Everyone's curiosity about watching the naked volleyball team had been satisfied and now most of the audience was there to cheer for the Four-Betas and watch them win.

Lisa's teammates were at the top of their game on Saturday as they won against three rivals. The Sorority Sports League made yet another mistake by putting their best team up against the Four-Betas, hoping to eliminate them from the Sunday finals. Lisa was at her finest during that game, receiving the ball from her teammates and repeatedly spiking it into the opponents' court. On the opposing side there was a player just as tall and just as good as Lisa, so the game developed into a grueling stand-off with constant turn-overs and very close scores. In the end, however, Kathleen's quick saves gave the Four-Betas more serves and more opportunities to score. The final results, against the best sorority team in the league, were 15-13, 15-12, and 15-13.

The naked crowd of Four-Betas and Tri-Alphas in the audience erupted in cheering. That final game assured the Four-Betas of a spot in the sorority championship match the following afternoon. Already Lisa's team had made it as far as the previous year's team, and the opponents with the best chance of beating them now were relegated to playing in the morning for the third place trophy.

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When Sunday came, Lisa woke up totally at peace with herself. She knew that her team was going to win the sorority championship. She didn't think or hope, she knew. Her players would go into that arena totally sure of themselves, and go up against opponents who were competent players, but under tremendous pressure from the other 17 sororities to humiliate the odious "sex bitches". In a way Lisa almost felt sorry for the opposing team, because the Four-Betas already had proven themselves by defeating the team most likely to win the tournament. Lisa was determined to win, and knew that her team would win, but at the same time she did not feel pressured.

Lisa was determined that her companions would enter the arena with the same peace of mind she was enjoying. That wouldn't be a problem, because they had all morning to get ready. Lisa decided there would be no volleyball practice, but instead a morning of yoga, swimming in the pool, stretching, more swimming, and finally some rest. Once they were in the arena the Four-Beta team would do warm-up drills, but that would be their only practice directly related to volleyball. They would play with their minds alert and their bodies toned and yet relaxed.

The rest of the sorority left the house that Sunday so the team could enjoy their morning in peace. When they came back, the other sorority members got into their bathrobes and for the fifth time accompanied their team to the basketball arena singing and clapping as they paraded down the street. For the fifth and final time the women and their Tri-Alpha friends sat on their robes and loudly cheered their team as the Four-Beta women proudly filed down the stairs to face their opponents. Lisa and her companions no longer felt any shame at having to face their athletic experience in the nude. They were quite proud of themselves and what they were about to accomplish. When the national anthem was played, the uneasiness of the first day was totally gone.

Lisa looked at the faces of the opposing team. They were angry, nervous, and tired. They did not seem to be happy to have made it to the final game at all. Instead the only thing on their minds was to get even with "the sex bitches" on the behalf of everyone they had betrayed. They felt the weight of the pressure of 17 sororities on their shoulders. They absolutely had to win.

In contrast with their opponents, all the Four-Betas had to do was play well.

The final championship game score surprised everyone except Lisa. When compared to the exciting match the previous evening, the championship was anti-climatic, with final scores of 15-11, 15-10, and 15-7. While their opponents played with so much anger that they constantly made mistakes, Lisa seemed to be everywhere on the net with her constant "spikes" and "aces". Towards the end her opponents argued with each other and the team's cohesion broke down. There was no doubt about it; the Four-Betas clearly were the best-prepared and most determined players of the day.

There was a final irony that truly pained the president of the Sorority Sports League. Just as the Four-Betas were serving for game point on the final match, the university electricians managed to fix the wiring for the monitors. The screens came back on in time to show Lisa score the final "ace" of the championship.

Still wearing their "game uniforms", the Four-Beta team accepted the first-place trophy for the tournament. Brittany and Erin got the honor of holding it for the official victory photo, as a permanent reminder of their defection that would forever taunt the members of their former sorority.