Initial pool play on Friday had the team matched up against the 11th seeded
(Scarborough Falcons), 22nd seeded (Toronto Aces), and 27th seeded (Twin
Bridges, Sarnia). The 16's easily took all three of these matches in two
straight sets, allowing only 75 points to be scored against them (GREAT defense
ladies WELL DONE!!!!) in a total of 6 sets for a first place finish on day one.
Day 2
had all the teams re-pooled into power pools based on their results from the
previous day. 16U Attack Black, with a first place finish on the Friday would be
in pool CC with the 3rd seeded Maverick Blackjacks from Ottawa, the 7th seeded
Forest City team out of London and the 18th seeded 16U Titans DYB out of
Scarborough. Game one was against the Titans and was handily won in two straight
sets. Game two was against the Forest City team and here is where the battle
would begin. Attack won the first set 25-23, dropped the second set 25-20 but
were able to rally behind one another to win the 3rd and deciding set 15-11. The
last match for the day was against the very tall and talented Mavericks team who
had but one goal for the weekend and that was to WIN. This team came out with
two guns a blazing and caught the 16U Attack team completely and totally off
guard and flat footed with their huge, quick attack from all over the court
causing the 16's to drop the first set 25-11 which would be the least amount of
points that this team has ever scored in a set in last two years. Not liking the
outcome of the first set the 16's battled back to win the second set 25-21.
Still both baffled and rattled from the loss in the first set the 16's succumbed
to the Mavericks in the third set 15-5 to finish 2nd in their power pool.
Day
three, the playoffs, "D" day, the "hardware" day
. Call it whatever you want
but this is the day that matters the most, the day where you win or you go home,
the day of reckoning. Thanks to some great scouting by coach Darryl and coach
Stew and some great video coverage of our prior matches by Ross and Deirdre
Betteridge (THANKS BUNCHES) the coaching staff were able to summarize and
strategize with the team the game plan for a successful day three.
Game one of the crossover match had the 16's playing the Niagara Rapids team out
of Welland, the same team they had defeated last year in the Gold medal match to
capture the 16U Ontario Provincial Title. This team not only wanted to win this
match to move on but they also wanted to avenge the loss from last year.
Unfortunately for them though this would not be the day as they dropped 2
straight sets to the 16 Blacks 25-17 and 28-26.
In
the quarter final play the 16's took on the South County Bandits from Windsor.
The first set started slow but quickly the girls turned up the heat and won this
match in two straight sets 25-20 and 25-16 moving them into the semi finals and
guaranteeing them a chance to once again play for medals.
Unfortunately for us we then had to wait 3 games before we had a chance to play
again and this would prove to be NOT such a good thing for us as the girls came
out flat in the semi final game against our own 17U Black team. The first set
went point for point back and forth all game with 17's finally closing out the
set victorious 26-24. The second set started out pretty much the same going back
and forth point for point but with one win under their belt and some great
playing the 17U team went on a streak of serving points to take the second set
25-19, CONGRATS 17's, it was a great match.
So
onto the bronze medal match and a chance for the 16's to avenge the worst loss
they ever had in the last two years as they would once again face the Maverick
Blackjacks. This match would be the match that would indeed show everyone what
this incredibly talented bunch of girls is truly about. With determination,
pride and pure desire the girls took the court and demonstrated to the Mavericks
that the loss they handed the 16's the previous day was a "fluke". The 16's
showed tenacity, true grit, incredible skill and courage as they fought for each
and every point with great defense and a powerful offense to come out victorious
in two straight sets 25-22 and 26-24 to capture for the second year in a row,
one of three coveted trinkets
. A tier one bronze medal.
Special thanks to coaches Chris, Darryl and Stew for their great scouting and
for getting the girls focused prior to and after each match
... it obviously
worked, to Ross and Deirdre again for all the pictures and film footage and last
but not least to all the parents for the snacks, water, lunches and wonderful
cheering, we truly are blessed to have such wonderful athletes and parents on
this team
. We are family !!!
Congratulations to Jazmine White who was selected to the ALL STAR TEAM. On this
weekend there was nobody more deserving of that recognition it indeed was well
deserved.
This
weekend let's aim for a medal a little shinier
GOLD is shiny :-)
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