KW Predators Take Bronze
The Kitchener Waterloo Predators U18 Women’s team won the bronze medal at the 2010 Canadian Volleyball Championship in Abbotsford, British Columbia. The team came to the National Championship looking to improve on their fourth place finish from the past two years and complete their club team careers with a medal.
On Day one, the team swept their pool winning all three matches with wins over teams from Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
Day two involved the top 16 teams from the previous day in power pool play. The Predators started the day slowly with a three set loss to Focus Kaboom from British Columbia which was a match that the team could have won. The team needed to win their next two matches to advance to the medal round as one of the top eight teams on the final day. The team delivered and swept both matches in straight sets, beating teams from Manitoba and Vancouver.
The medal round day began with a quarter final match against the BVC Rebels from Winnipeg. The Predators took the first set 25-14. The Rebels refused to quit and pushed the Predators in the second set but the Predators prevailed 29-27. They now faced the Manitoba Bisons in the semi final match. It was an excellent match with outstanding play from both teams but the Bisons won in a three set thriller 23-25, 25-16, 15-8.
Now very disappointed, with no chance of winning gold they still had a chance to achieve their team goal of being one of the top three teams in the country and to bring home a medal. They faced the Ottawa Mavericks in the bronze medal match with an added opportunity to avenge a loss to those same Mavericks who in the provincial championships just two weeks earlier ended the Predators’ chance to repeat as champions.
The Mavericks stormed out in the first set and won 25-15. Things looked grim for the Predators as the Mavericks seem to have all the momentum. But. Spurred on by a small but loud group of parents and family friends, the girls dug deep and turned the tables on the Mavericks winning the second set 25-15. It would all come down to the final set and who would want the bronze medal more. The Predators showed their experience and desire in big games and went out and finished off the Mavericks 15-6 in the third and final set to clinch the bronze medal.
It was the first National Championship club medal for the Predator club and first National Championship club medal for Coach Corinne Williams. Coach Williams has been integral in guiding the Predators over the last three years to much success with many tournament championships, a provincial championship, two fourth places at Nationals, a bronze this year at Nationals and firmly cemented the team as one of the top clubs in Canada. The girls are now looking forward to continuing their volleyball careers at a post secondary level.
The team members are: Tara Lyn Cybulski, Melissa Steinman, Kaitlyn Skinner, Meaghan Loveday, Nicole Schoonderwoerd, Lucy McLay, Mikaela Klie, Brieanne Gallant, Nicole Boyd, and Ariel Berkeley.
submitted by Kevin Skinner
