The Spencer Wildcats qualified for next weekend’s junior girls provincial high school volleyball championships in Delta, despite losing a three-set Island final at Mount Doug on Saturday
The middle school Wildcats, made up of Grade 8 and 9 girls, reached the latest rung on the Grade 9-10 competitive ladder by beating arch-rival Mount Doug in the semifinals. Spencer split the first two games of the final against Brooks from Powell River, but lost the deciding third set.
“I think we will have a lot of challenges in (Delta), because we’re a young team
playing against teams that are (Grade) 9s and 10s, with two more years of growth and development than some of our girls,” head coach Brenda Cyr said of the provincial tournament. “That age and experience level will be challenging.”
The Wildcats finished second in their pool at the Islands to set up the rematch of the city league final, won by Mount Doug on Nov. 8 at Claremont. The Rams have been the team to beat all season for Spencer, Cyr said.
The Wildcats beat Mount Doug in the season-opening tournament at Vancouver Island University and were in the same pool as both the Rams’ A and B sides during league play.
Besides the VIU tournament, the Wildcats also won the Belmont tournament this season, which Mount Doug did not attend.
Regardless of the age difference – this group of girls has played up an age category in club play in past years – Cyr said her players have great determination to win no matter what’s thrown at them.
“These girls dig deep and they make it happen,” she said.
The provincial tournament runs Nov. 21 and 22 at three separate venues.
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