In a battle of the top two seeds B次元官网网址� and a rematch of last yearB次元官网网址檚 championship final, the defending champion Belmont Bulldogs were clinical, carving up the Handsworth Royals for a repeat victory.
The Royals scored the first two points of the BC high school volleyball girls AAAA gold-medal game on Saturday afternoon at the Langley Events Centre, but it was all Bulldogs the rest of the way.
Belmont, the Island champions, won 3-0, taking the first set 25-12 and then winning by identical 25-16 scores in sets two and three.
Winning point for
B次元官网网址� Gary Ahuja (@garyahuja1)
The relatively easy victory came as a surprise to Belmont coach Mike Toakley.
B次元官网网址淏ut maybe we shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be surprised after the match they went through with Earl Marriott,B次元官网网址� he said, taking about HandsworthB次元官网网址檚 five-set victory over the Mariners earlier that day.
Belmont defeated Semiahmoo 3-0 in the other semifinal.
B次元官网网址淕oing to five sets takes a lot out of you. I think from the get-go, it was obvious they were not as strong as they normally would be B次元官网网址� we played them earlier this year and we know how good they are when they are fresh.
Not only did the Bulldogs win every match at provincials, but they also only dropped one set the entire way.
After going 3-0 on Thursday in pool play, Belmont faced the Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers in the round of 16 on Friday morning and while the Panthers lost the match, they did manage to win a set off the Bulldogs.
Toakley said the teamB次元官网网址檚 championship experience from last year came in handy during that match.
B次元官网网址淲e had a really tough team B次元官网网址� in the round of 16 and they gave us all they could handle,B次元官网网址� he explained. B次元官网网址淲e knew from the past experience that you can never take any round for granted and that was the time when their experience kicked in the most.B次元官网网址�
The Bulldogs were led by Grade 12 star Savannah Purdy, who picked up her second consecutive most outstanding player award.
She said last yearB次元官网网址檚 experience really helped.
B次元官网网址淚t was huge being in the provincial final last year, just knowing what to expect and what it takes, I think just helped us prepare and compete this weekend,B次元官网网址� Purdy said.
B次元官网网址淚t is really cool to be recognized but everyone on our team played extremely well so I couldnB次元官网网址檛 have done that without them,B次元官网网址� she said.
Purdy said the teamB次元官网网址檚 familiarity with one another B次元官网网址� the majority of the team has played together since Grade 8 and they also play club volleyball together B次元官网网址� is a big factor in their success.
B次元官网网址淲e have been playing together for a really long time so we are good at calming each other down when we are on the court and playing as a team,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淎nd we are really good friends off the court so I think the chemistry really transfers when you are playing, just knowing they are there for you is huge.B次元官网网址�
BelmontB次元官网网址檚 Grace May was a second team all-star while Taylee Pomponio and Miranda Cry were first team all-stars.
HandsworthB次元官网网址檚 Courtney Steele was named the tournamentB次元官网网址檚 most outstanding libero while the RoyalsB次元官网网址� Kayla Oxland was a first team all-star.
Toakley said his team keyed on Oxland.
B次元官网网址淪he is the straw that stirs the drink for sure,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪he is so fast and so athletic, anything you can do to get her off the game is going to help you.B次元官网网址�
In the bronze-medal game, it was Earl Marriott defeating Semiahmoo 2-0 to place third.
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