Sand volleyball usually invokes images of a sandy court and a sun shining as players work on their tans. But sand volleyball in Iowa City on a late September night is no walk on the beach.

Amid wind and chilly temperatures, Tots won the six-on-six intramural sand volleyball championship with a 2-1 triumph over Team China.

After rain on Sept. 24 postponed the title match, the squads faced off at the Hawkeye Recreation Fields Monday night.

Tots reached the final after defeating Team Miralax earlier in the day. Miralax put up a fight in the first set, losing by only two points, but Tots pulled away in the second for a 2-0 victory.

Team China also faced a tough test in its semifinal matchups against Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters, winning, 2-1, after dropping the first set by three points.

“We played well [in the semifinals],” Team China junior Peter Murphy said. “Through the finals, though, we were inconsistent. We didn’t play too well.”

Team China kept the game close early on. Tots, which played in the finals with only five on the court, jumped out to 7-2 advantage with the wind blowing from behind. In what became a match of runs, Team China quickly came back to knot the score at 7.

With Tots setting the ball to its two male players regularly, the organized style of play seemed to give the team an edge. But a serving run from Team China tightened the contest until the final points. Team China ultimately lost, 25-23, in game one.

But the squad started hot in game two, utilizing the wind to jump out to a 6-1 lead. Again, runs helped both teams as the matchup remained even, and ties at 18, 21, 23, and 24 kept the tension rising.

However, Team China won two late points to win the second game, 26-24.

The final game wasn’t nearly as close. Tots came out firing, using senior Richard Amendola for big spikes at the net.

“[It was] just good setting,” he said. “Alicia [Sieverding] and Amber [Ambrosy] were great setters.”

Winning three of the last four points, a final ace into the spiraling wind won the game for Tots, 15-9.

Serving into the wind was tough for both teams, and players were forced to change in how they hit the ball.

Ambrosy said when she was with the wind, she “just barely hit it to get it over.” Against the wind, she did the exact opposite, she said.

Amendola added the weather affected him in a different way.

“I can’t feel my feet,” he said.