The St. Albert Skyhawks served up their first junior women’s volleyball championship since 2009 in Saturday’s metro Edmonton division two final.
The Skyhawks (12-1, 38 GW/12 GL) rattled off scores of 25-27, 25-15, 25-22, 25-16 against the previously undefeated St. Francis Xavier Rams (12-1, 37 GW/8 GL) at Bev Facey High School.
Both teams finished first in their respective pools and won three playoff matches apiece en route to the final.
The metro junior championship is the fourth in team history after city conference titles in 2005, 2008 and 2009.
The Skyhawks are Alexis Anderson, Haley Benwood, Elaine Cloutier, Maria Czyz, Paige Gratton, Jenai Kidd, Julia Kormysh, Robyn Kormysh, Megan McNally, Sara O’Donnell, Dana Shaw and Brielle Wise. Coaches are Chantell Plaisant and Karra Tait and the team liaison is Leslie Wise.
Visit www.stalbertgazette.com to view the team banner picture.
The 3A provincial zone tournaments start Friday afternoon for the St. Albert Skyhawks and Sturgeon Spirits.
In the women’s draw the Skyhawks host pool A and the Ardrossan Bisons host pool B.
The Skyhawks, ranked No. 1 in the eight-team women’s tournament, plays Old Scona (No. 7) at 2 p.m., Edmonton Christian Lions (No. 3) at 4:15 p.m. and Louis St. Laurent Barons (No. 5) at 7 p.m. at the SkyDome.
The No. 6-ranked Spirits spike the ball against the St. Peter The Apostle Spartans (No. 4) at 3 p.m., St. Joseph Saints (No. 8) at 5:15 p.m. and the Bisons (No. 2) at 7 p.m. in Ardrossan.
In the men’s draw the Louis St. Laurent Barons host pool A and the Spirits host pool B.
The Skyhawks, ranked fifth in the seven-team men’s tournament, swing into action against the Bisons (No. 3) at 3 p.m. and the Barons (No. 1) at 5:30 p.m. at Louis St. Laurent.
The No. 2-ranked Spirits are up against Old Scona (No. 7) at 2 p.m., St. Peter The Apostle (No. 4) at 4:15 p.m. and Fort Saskatchewan Sting (No. 6) at 7 p.m.
The top three women’s and men’s teams in pools A and B advance to Saturday’s crossover playoffs at the SkyDome for the women and Louis St. Laurent for the men. Match play starts at 10 a.m.
The first-place A and B teams earn byes into the 12:15 and 1:15 p.m. semifinals. The winners advance to provincials and the 3 p.m. final determines the No. 1 and No. 2 zone teams.
Provincials are Nov. 28 to 30 at the Saville Community Sports Centre.
The Bellerose Bulldogs took it on the chin in Friday’s loss to the Leduc Tigers in the metro Edmonton division two men’s volleyball final.
The undefeated Tigers hammered the Bulldogs 25-22, 25-14, 25-16 at Bev Facey High School.
The Bulldogs (10-2, 32 GW/13 GL) trailed throughout the first set and their first lead of the match was 2-1 in the second set. It was the only time the Bulldogs were actually ahead of Leduc (12-0, 36 GW/5 GL) in the set.
In the third set the Bulldogs jumped out in front 9-5, but a 10-point run by the taller, hard-hitting and more polished Leduc squad made it 15-9 to seal the deal.
The Bulldogs and Leduc were the top teams in their respective pools going into the playoffs.
The last metro championship by the Bellerose senior team was 2002 in the city conference.
