Photos by Vista Photographer Garett Fisbeck.

Photos by Joseph A. Moore II

The 2010 Sitting Volleyball Worlds concluded Sunday, July 18, with the U.S. Women’s team procuring the Silver medal, and a place at the next Paralympic Games in London 2012.

According to a press release on the UCO website, the Chinese Women’s team won Gold, beating the United States 25-18, 25-20, 25-15. The Ukraine team took home the Bronze medal.

In the men’s bracket, the Gold went to the Iranian team, Silver to Bosnia and Herzegovinaosnia, and Bronze to Egypt.

While it is exciting for the U.S. Women’s team to secure a spot in the 2012 Paralympics, it was a bittersweet excitement as the men’s team did not qualify. The U.S. Men fell to Germany on Thursday, July 15 in the quarterfinal qualifying match. They lost 25-13, 25-21, 25-20.

The 2010 Worlds were held on the campus of the University of Central Oklahoma, the home of the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Sitting Volleyball teams.

According to the Sitting Volleyball Facebook page, the U.S. has not hosted a Sitting Volleyball Worlds in 20 years.

Photographs by Vista Photographer Garett Fisbeck

Miss America 2007, Lauren Nelson, sings the American National Anthem at the 2010 Worlds opening ceremony.

A sitting volleyball fan photographs the opening ceremonies, which took place in the UCO Wellness Center on Saturday, July 11.

President Roger Webb delivers a speech at the 2010 Worlds opening ceremony in the Wellness Center.

Members of the Chinese women's team wave to fans during the Parade of Nations at the opening ceremony.

The Chickasaw Nation Dance Troupe performs a ceremonial dance at the 2010 Worlds opening ceremony.

A member of the women's Slovenian sitting volleyball team carries the Slovenian flag during the Parade of Nations.

The Hungarian men's team flies their national flag in the Parade of Nations.

An Iranian child wraps himself in the flag of his native country and while watching his favorite sitting volleyball team.

Heather Erickson of the U.S. women's team serves the volleyball in a match against Germany.

American fans gather at Hamilton Field House to support hosting team.

A German team member attempts to block a spike from Brenda Maymon of the U.S. team.

Fans from all over the world cheer on their favorite country and team at 2010 Worlds.

The U.S. team defeats Germany at 2010 Worlds.

Blue Devils took first place, followed by Phantom Regiment in second and Blue Stars in third.

Photos by Vista photographer Garett Fisbeck.

NEW YORK (AP) — Workers at the World Trade Center site are excavating a 32-foot-long ship hull that apparently was used in the 18th century as part of the fill that extended lower Manhattan into the Hudson River.

It’s hoped the artifact can be retrieved by the end of the day on Thursday, said archaeologist Molly McDonald. A boat specialist was going to the site to take a look at it.

McDonald said she wanted to at least salvage some timbers; it was unclear if any large portions could be lifted intact.

“We’re mostly clearing it by hand because it’s kind of fragile,” she said, but construction equipment could be used later in the process.

McDonald and archaeologist A. Michael Pappalardo were at the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks when the discovery was made Tuesday morning.

“We noticed curved timbers that a back hoe brought up,” McDonald said Wednesday. “We quickly found the rib of a vessel and continued to clear it away and expose the hull over the last two days.”

The two archeologists work for AKRF, a firm hired to document artifacts discovered at the site. They called the find significant but said more study was needed to determine the age of the ship.

“We’re going to send timber samples to a laboratory to do dendrochronology that will help us to get a sense of when the boat was constructed,” said McDonald. Dendrochronology is the science that uses tree rings to determine dates and chronological order.

A 100-pound anchor was found a few yards from the ship hull on Wednesday, but they’re not sure if it belongs to the ship. It’s 3 to 4 feet across, McDonald said.

The archaeologists are racing to record and analyze the vessel before the delicate wood, now exposed to air, begins to deteriorate.

“I kept thinking of how closely it came to being destroyed,” Pappalardo said.

A photo from a recent storm in Oklahoma, taken on Sunday, July 11.

A photo of the storm that started in Northwest Oklahoma and worked its way down the state on Monday, July 13.

Photographs by Vista photographer Garett Fisbeck.