Morning Star Staff
The VSS Panthers stopped the Mt. Boucherie Bears of West Kelowna 2-0 (25-15 25-18) in Saturday’s final of the Fulton Maroons Senior Girls Volleyball Tournament.
Tanner Lorenson of the AAA Panthers was named MVP of the eight-team affair. Jordan Korol of VSS made the all-star team along with Nazarene Wurz and Brittany Skrenek of Fulton, Julia Kemper of the Kalamalka Lakers, Amanda Daley of the Valleyview Vikings (Kamloops) and Kayla Sullivan of Mt. Boucherie.
“VSS was definitely the favourite going in to the tournament (ranked in the top-four AAA provincially all season long) but there were some teams challenging throughout but the solid VSS attack and defence was too strong for AAAA Mt. Boucherie Bears in the end,” said Fulton coach Sharon Shaigec.
The Lakers finished third by sweeping Valleyview 25-21, 25-17 after knocking out Fulton 25-15, 29-27 in the quarterfinals.
“It was definitely a disappointing loss to Kal in the quarterfinals,” said Shaigec. “We got into trouble on serve receive and we missed too many serves. Kal controlled the match from beginning to end so full credit goes to their effort to win the match.”
VSS brushed back the Lakers 25-15, 25-18, while Mt. Boucherie bounced Valleyview 2-1 (25-17, 22-25, 16-14) in the semifinals.
The Panthers earlier dispatched the NorKam Saints 25-12, 25-23, while the Bears stuffed Sa-Hali Sabres of Kamloops 25-18, 26-22 in the quarters.
In consolation play, Fulton finished fifth by defeating Sahali 25-18, 25-22.
The Maroons host the AA Okanagan Valley Championships starting Friday. The finals go Saturday at 2 p.m. with one berth available to the provincials.
Fulton goes into the Valleys ranked No. 1 out of the North Zone. The Maroons open against the George Elliot Coyotes of Winfield Friday at 1:45 p.m.
Kal is second-seeded in the North and will battle the No. 3 Revelstoke Avalanche at 12:30 p.m.
The Princess Margaret Mustangs of Penticton are rated first in the South Central Zone, while the Westsyde Whundas of Kamloops are tops in the West.
The Mustangs go up against the North’s fourth-seeded Pleasant Valley Saints of Armstrong at 12:30, while the Whundas tangle with the Coyotes at 1:45. If the third place team has not played the second place finisher at the conclusion of the Valleys, they may challenge them Monday.
