15U-Navy races into a brand new season in Sherbrooke(PHOTOS) By Pamela LeMaistre, with photos by Catherine Solt
November 8, 2008 — The CAPS 15U-Navy team attended the first tournament of the season last weekend, the Volleyball Québec Omnium 15 ans et moins at l’Université de Sherbrooke in Sherbrooke, Quebec. For several of the girls, it was their first club tournament, and certainly the first in Quebec for all the girls.
After a good night’s sleep at the hotel, the day started with an early breakfast and a team meeting at the university. The team’s first match was against the Samurai de CF and, in the first game, they managed to come from 11 points behind to a nail-biting 26-24 win. Having gained some confidence and displaying teamwork on the court, the second game saw them win 25-11.
In match two, the girls played Les Citadins de Vaudreuil. They had a slow start with a 12-25 finish, but came back stronger in their second game, managing 21 points. Unfortunately, this second set saw quite a few points lost due to faults.
The third match was against a local team – Les Griffons de l’Outaouais, against whom they managed scores of 18-25 and 17-25. This loss put the Navy team 3rd in their pool and matched them up against the Bleu et Or de Moncton to determine 7th or 10th place overall. They lost the first game 12-25, but managed to take a win in game two (25-23) to force the match to a third set tiebreaker. Despite their efforts, the game finished with a 13-15 score and the team finished 10th (tied with CAPS 15U-Burgundy) for the tournament.
Thanks to Coach Matt Hoey, and to all the parents who drove to Sherbrooke to provide support and enthusiasm from the sidelines this weekend. The tournament was a great experience for the players and a good start for the team, highlighting strengths along with areas for improvement at our upcoming tournaments. Already, the team is working hard to prepare for this weekend’s invitational tournament in London, Ontario. Go CAPS!
