Vauxhall Queens girls volleyball team more than showed it belonged among the 2A girls elite teams in the province with a bronze-medal finish at provincials in Spirit River this past weekend.
But it was one team, host Spirit River, which proved head of the class, and pushed the Queens to the bronze-medal match, and then rolled all over Strathcona Tweedsmuir in the final.
“We came out and really took it to them early and we had them up 20-17 in the first game and they haven’t lost in a really, really long time,” said Scott Reiling, head coach of the Vauxhall Queens girls volleyball team. “They made a couple of good points and we tightened up a bit and they took control and won 25-22 and the second game they laid the boots to us. They were a good team. Unlike last year where we lost that semifinal and walked off in tears, this year we walked off and said, ‘That’s a good team, let’s regroup and make sure we get the bronze.’ ”
That good team in Spirit River was made primarily of Grade 10 and 11 athletes and still finished 8-0 in sets against the eventual 3A provincial girls champion and 2-0 against the eventual 4A bronze-medalists during the season.
“I never let into it with the girls, but shortly after seeing Spirit River playing, I knew we were all playing for second place,” said Reiling. “They are just good, good, good, and really have no weaknesses.”
It was more than reassuring for the Queens in the bronze-medal match with the same dominating match against Peace River that the team played in round-robin play.
“It never really was in doubt. We did what we needed to do,” said Reiling of the straight sets bronze-medal win. “We stopped them from going on runs and coasted through that match.”
It was a mentally and physically tough provincial for the Queens, who had an 11-hour drive up to Spirit River, coupled with some late nights and early-morning draws.
“The girls were up by quarter after five the first day because you have to be there by 10 to eight and it was a 50-minute drive from the hotel to the school,” said Reiling. “The girls did a really good job of weathering the storm on the Thursday and Friday, dealing with the tough sleep patterns and the long days.”
The Queens won its first three matches of pool play before the team faced old nemesis Strathchona Tweedsmuir, who beat the Queens in last year’s provincial semifinal.
“It was a great match for the fans, but being a 4:30 p.m. match after two early-morning matches, I don’t think either team executed as well as fans think. But because it was so close, everyone came out of there right pumped,” said Reiling in the 23-25, 25-23, 13-15 match the Queens lost.
“I don’t think either team got more than two points ahead. It was back and forth the entire match.”
Saturday’s slate to complete round-robin play featured a dominating performance against Peace River to claim second place in the pool.
“Saturday we played really, really well. That is when we started to get things going where we got a good night’s sleep going to bed early and got to sleep in until about sevenish, and it showed on the court. On Saturday we played really, really well, except for one set,” said Reiling. “It looked as good as anything we did at zones or better.”
The most dominating match of the Queens’ tournament likely came against Central Alberta Christian High School from Lacombe at the start of provincial playoffs, as the Queens cruised.
“They have traditionally been a power in the province for years and it was one of those matches where we did nothing wrong and jumped all over them,” said Reiling. “I’ve known that coach for a lot of years and he said just, ‘Wow, it feels like I got ran over by a semi truck. I don’t think we were playing that bad, but that score was ugly.’ We cracked down playing tough defence and hit the heck out of the ball.”
As much as the Queens demolished its competition, winning its south zone banner with ease, the team knew it had its hands full the moment it stepped on the court in Spirit River, seeing the other teams.
“Not to make light of the zone, but there really was no comparison. This year our zone was weaker traditionally than it has in the past. The unique thing about provincials is even the weaker teams that qualify for provincials, still believe they are winners,” said Reiling. “They have learned how to win getting out of their zone, and we found even with the weaker teams you have to ride that wave. They come out firing and you look up and it’s 6-6 or 8-6 and they are still trying as hard as they can, where the better teams eventually pull away. In zones there are teams that give that five to seven point mental edge just because they are tired of playing you.”
As the season concludes for the Queens, Reiling noted the fantastic support the team received, despite an 11-hour drive, as tons of parents, grandparents and friends make the trip.
“Our crowd support was unbelievable. Outside of Spirit River who was in their home town, we had the loudest fans in that tournament and we had a lot of people in the stands,” said Reiling. “I was so proud of how hard the girls worked. Everyone sort of pushed us off to the side knowing we lost six Grade 12s from last year, and no one thought early on we could do what we did. We put a pretty good darn season together, and it came down to the girls believing they could beat anybody and they worked so hard being great athletes and great kids.”