The College Heights Cougars senior girls volleyball team rebounded from a disappointing loss last week to win the Cedar Christian Eagles high school tournament on the weekend.
College Heights knocked off the host Eagles on Saturday in a three-set marathon (20-25, 25-20 and 17-15). The Cougars had to settle for silver at the senior PGYVC Kodiak Classic the previous weekend.
Cougars coach Jason Olexyn said the biggest difference between the two tournaments was the girls were more consistent this weekend and committed less errors.
"We beat ourselves last week," said Olexyn. "This week they just played really well, especially in the final when they came back from a deficit, that showed a lot of character."
The Eagles, a single-A team provincially, started strong led by middle-blocker Kristin Anton and took the first set off the double-A Cougars.
"They just didn't come out firing and just didn't step up," said Olexyn. "They're a great team and their big middle is tough to get around. She hits the ball really well. We're going to battle with them a lot this year."
Olexyn said all 12 girls on the senior Cougars contributed to the victory, but Grade 12 power-hitter Danika Kettles and Grade 11 setter Taylor Samuelson stepped up their intensity in the final two sets against he Eagles and led the way for their teammates to follow.
The Cougars have four Grade 12s - Kettles, Quinn Cassie, Amy Mellquist and Dayna Hamilton - and one Grade 10, Kaitlyn Seath, the remaining seven players are in Grade 11.
In the round robin, which started Friday, the Cougars finished first in Pool A with a 3-0 record, ahead of Smithers (2-1), Fort St. James (1-2) and Cedars B (0-3). The Eagles (3-0) won Pool B, followed by PGSS Polars (2-1), D.P. Todd Trojans (1-2) and Mackenzie (0-3).
In the bronze-medal match, the Polars edged the Trojans (14-25, 25-22 and 17-15). Last week, the Trojans beat the Cougars in three sets to win the Kodiak Classic, while the Polars finished seventh.
The Cougars are off this weekend and then travel to Vernon for a tournament Oct. 4-5. On Thanksgiving weekend the Cougars head to Kelowna for the annual UBC-O high school tournament.
