CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The Colonel Gray Colonels jumped for joy as they watched the ball land on the other side of the court to win a thrilling five-set marathon to become provincial champs.
Colonel Gray defeated the Kensington Torchettes 3-2 (25-18, 21-25, 25-19, 18-25, 15-11) to claim the Prince Edward Island School Athletic Association Grant Thornton senior AAA girls’ volleyball title Saturday at Charlottetown Rural High School. It came after losing last year’s provincial final to Kensington.
Morgan White, a Grade 11 power, said they knew they were in for a tight match this time around despite being the top seed.
“But walking off that court, after that one last point where we won, felt amazing, very surreal,” she said.
The Colonels played the contest without head coach Laura Ready, who was playing with the Holland College Hurricanes in New Brunswick. Assistant coach Jenny White handled the sideline duties for the Colonels and said she was pleased with the determination her players showed in playing a strong Torchettes squad.
“The girls spent all season really gearing up for them. We had a game plan ready to play them and we executed, so I couldn't be more proud of the girls,” she said.
The Colonels won the opening set and built a 21-17 lead in the second set before the defending champs roared back, winning the next four points to tie it and rolling off four more to win it.
“I always know that our girls will keep fighting no matter what because we’ve been through the battles before,” said Kensington head coach Richard Younker.
The third set was tied 12-12 before the Colonels scored five straight to go ahead 17-12. Kensington made a run to get back to 17-21 but the Colonels, who only had two Grade 12s, won the set on a White hit.
“Our girls were ready to play with grit and a lot of heart,” coach White said. “We have a young team, but they have a lot of great playing experience.”
The back-and-forth contest and fan support for both squads made for an entertaining final, but also a nerve-racking one to play in.
“I was very scared to mess up,” White admitted. “Sometimes that makes you mess up more, so the best thing to do in these types of matches is just go with the flow (and not) worry about the small things. (Think) about what’s ahead, not what’s happened.”
In the deciding set, the Colonels led 10-9 and scored the next three points.
“In the fifth set, we made two or three errors and that’s all it takes,” Younker said.
“It could have gone either way,” he added. “Kudos to Colonel Gray, they were well prepared and at the end of the day they were a little bit better than us today.”
Younker said his girls worked hard from the first week of September, including practising or playing six days a week, playing in five tournaments and travelling off-Island.
“They never complain. They just come to work every day,” he said.
While the season didn’t end with a championship, the skills the players learned like responsibility and leadership will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
“I always say, it’s more important for me, not so much that they’re great volleyball players but that they’re great young women,” Younker said.
Charlottetown Rural Team One defeated Bluefield Team One 3-0 (25-16, 25-16, 25-19) in the bronze medal match.
Award winners
A look at the award winners from the Prince Edward Island School Athletic Association Grant Thornton senior AAA girls’ volleyball championship.
All-stars – Hillary MacLean and Cassandra MacLeod from Kensington and Colonel Gray’s Amanda MacBain.
MVP – Colonel Gray power Morgan White.
Looking back
A look at the past five Prince Edward Island School Athletic Association senior AAA girls’ volleyball champions.
2017-18 Kensington
2016-17 Colonel Gray
2015-16 Colonel Gray
2014-15 Bluefield
2013-14 Colonel Gray
