Blue Bomber junior girls volleyballers break out the cellies for WOSSAA silver medals

Ingersoll DCI’s Lauren Cumberland (left) has a front-row seat as libero Peyton Boddy hits the deck. (Jeff Tribe Photo)

Jeff Tribe, Echo Correspondent

The Ingersoll DCI Blue Bomber junior volleyball girls do love their cellies.

And to be fair, they had much to celebrate not only through a Western Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association AA silver medal performance on Feb. 25 at London South CI, but the Thames Valley Regional Athletics Southeast regular season and playoff championship leading up to it.

“We’re a cheery team,” smiled Blue Bomber Mia Pardy. “It was a great year.”

There are some who may theorize that one loses the gold as much as one wins the silver. They, however, were not in attendance during WOSSAA semi-finals as the Blue Bombers undeniably won their way into the gold medal game through a gutsy 25-20, 22-25, 16-25, 25-21, 15-8 win over the host Lions and an extremely energetic partisan crowd.

A gym and balcony full of South supporters was further energized by a drummer whose practised cadence raised the decibel level further with each Lions point. A fantastic playoff atmosphere at times strayed over the line to the point the head official warned fans to remain silent during IDCI serves, but the Blue Bombers’ challenge included a ‘seventh opponent.’

“Everybody screaming and the counting they did (on serves),” said IDCI’s Lauren Cumberland. “It made me play harder for sure, want it more.

“It was definitely fun being the bad guys.”

The Blue Bombers broke away from a 15-14 lead in the first set to 21-16 and 24-18 advantages, closed out with a tandem centre block courtesy of Pardy and Izzy Hanlon.

South battled back in the second set on the strength of defensive tenacity and tips over IDCI’s strength at the net, closing out the victory on back-to-back scoring dumps over the block. The Lions carried momentum from this set into the third, taking what at the time could have been construed as a pivotal nine-point victory.

The Bombers got off to an early 4-1 lead in the fourth set on a Hanlon power kill, Olivia Krajewski's service ace just inside the back line, and a dig on a South tip attempt by libero Peyton Boddy. Power at the net, strength of service leading to aces, service winners and advantage through South struggles with the first pass and reading tips would be keys to Ingersoll’s success.

“We definitely adjusted a bit (to the tips),” said Boddy.

The Bombers led 16-10, but the Lions reeled them in and took a 19-17 lead, IDCI coach Mike Pelton breaking off a five-point run with a time-out. Following a South service out, Cumberland service winner and Hanlon cross-court kill, it was the Lions turn to call for time.

“Just go, crush it as hard as I can,” said the Grade 9 Hanlon of her mentality.

“When we need points, she gets them,” credited Boddy.

IDCI’s Brooklynn Ruddy closed out the set victory with a kill off the block and out, setting the stage for a 15-point sprint for a berth to the championship game.

The Bombers opened with a service advantage courtesy of Krajewski, taking the first point on a Gabby Vander Baan/Hanlon block, adding two more for an early 3-0 lead. IDCI switched ends on a three-point run, a Hanlon kill, rejection at the net and Pardy centre block, giving them a five-point advantage. Ruddy kept the momentum going with an ace from the other end of the court, Pardy kill, and a second Ruddy service winner, creating an eight-point advantage which lived through the 15-8 final.

“It did get tense,” Cumberland admitted. “They’re a good team.”

The Bombers would face a second ‘good team’ in the WOSSAA AA final, Stratford St. Mike’s taking a four-set, 25-16, 21-25, 25-22, 25-18 match victory.

“We won silver, and they earned the gold,” summed up Pardy.

Bombers setter Mackenna Moskal felt the four-hour break between matches hadn’t helped.

“I would rather just be game and game and game.”

Likening the break between matches to an early-morning game, Cumberland said IDCI had ‘woken up.’

“(But) we didn’t keep the flow of the second set going.”

Despite the loss, Avery Perry will remember the ‘environment’ of the medal ceremony as a highlight, teammates cheering as each received their silver.

“We were just all kind of happy for each other.”

“I was very pleased,” agreed Emily Phillips. “I’m so proud of everyone. This is one of the best seasons we’ve had.

“Even though we didn’t win, we won in our hearts.”

Coach Pelton praised his team’s resilience, ‘100 per cent winning the silver’, particularly in the face of the combined challenge from South and its fans.

“They didn’t stop believing in themselves, they stayed in the game,” as he credited a great team and a great group of girls. They should be really proud of themselves.”

“Senior is going to be great,” Cumberland added in conclusion.

“Watch out for next year,” Moskal agreed.

WOSSAA AA Senior Girls Volleyball

The Woodstock CI Red Devils senior girls volleyball team knew it would be a challenge to step up from A to AA competition this year.

Nevertheless, they collectively set a pre-season goal of qualifying for the WOSSAA tournament.

“Even though we knew how hard that goal would be and man, did they deliver!” said coach Pauline Schubert.

The Red Devils’ route to WOSSAA AA bronze went the hard way, opening with a three-set (25-20, 25-17, 25-20) loss to Stratford St. Mike’s.

“They had some real good hitters and defence,” credited WCI’s MJ Rabe.

In the other semi-final, the host St. Thomas Parkside Stampeders downed London Central Golden Ghosts 25-20, 25-15, 25-16, and would go on to take WOSSAA AA gold with a 25-23, 25-18, 25-13 win over St. Mike’s.

“Obviously, it was a bummer to not go to a for-sure medal game,” Rabe admitted. “But I think we handled it pretty well and reset for the bronze game.”

The Red Devils had opened against St. Mike’s with six missed serves, said Bickell, and started a little nervous against the Ghosts, but settled in for a 27-25 win.

“I felt it gave everyone motivation, we really can win this.”

A see-saw match saw Central take set two, the Red Devils set three, again by a narrow two-point margin, before falling behind in the fourth. Despite losing, a late rally helped build confidence for the fifth and deciding set. WCI trailed 12-9 before a run of Lily Melanson serves pulled them even at 13. The Red Devils closed it out, taking an extremely tight bronze medal victory by a total of six points in their three winning sets. Facing a taller opponent, one player in particular, WCI, focused on hitting line (aiming down the line rather than cross court), utilizing tips and really digging in and covering with tenacious defence.

“We ended up getting a medal, which exceeded our expectations,” said Bickell.

“We played our game for sure,” Rabe agreed, happy to hang a bronze medal around her neck. “It’s nice to finish on a win for sure.”

Schubert looked back on ‘an amazing year’, balancing elevated AA competition with the confidence she had a good team both in terms of talent and ‘personality.’

“Great volleyball and great for us to come out with bronze. I know we were satisfied. We were so happy with our performance.”