Submitted by
Caroline Spencer
The 16U Fort Frances Vipers girls’ volleyball team travelled to Winnipeg on the weekend to compete in the Jr. Bisons’ tournament at the University of Manitoba.
The first team they faced was the hosts, who came out swinging hard but the Vipers held their own.
After giving up a string of opening points, the Vipers got the ball and well-placed serves by Alina Eldridge settled the team down.
The score went back and forth throughout the first game before the Jr. Bisons put it away at 25-22.
The second game was a better start for the Vipers, who jumped out to an early 10-3 lead.
But some lucky tips and strong net play by the Bisons resulted in them coming back and winning 25-17.
The Vipers’ second match was against the Lightning Elite and featured another see-saw affair with game scores of 25-21 and 25-22 in favour of the Lightning.
Jamie Spencer and Gwen MacDonald were formidable in the middle, making timely blocks and forcing the other side to start tipping.
Samara Payne and Alex Spuzak, meanwhile, made dig after dig in the back row, allowing the setters (Eldridge and Simone Payne) flexibility in their play-calling.
Pasquel Shortreed also came up strong with five kills in the match.
Carmen Hebert was the libero for this tournament and was strong in the back row for the team.
The Vipers’ final round-robin match was against the 15U Dryden Whiskeyjacks, who are a familiar opponent.
The game scores were 24-26 and 25-15, resulting in a win for the Vipers, which meant they placed third in their pool.
The coaches juggled the lineup a bit, allowing the team captains (Samara Payne and Jamie Spencer) to rest.
Hailee Barnard was solid in her serving, garnering a string of points for the Vipers.
Mackenzie Carlson’s net play was notable–often tipping around the block to take the sting out of the height of the Whiskeyjacks’ middle blocker.
Sunday’s play-off game scores were 8-25 and 16-25 against the Mavericks, the eventual tournament silver medalists.
The Vipers started strong, taking four opening points from the Mavericks, but the team went a little flat in the middle of the first game and the Mavericks took advantage.
The second game was much closer, with the Vipers scrambling for every ball. But in-game injuries to two players took its toll.
Shortreed, Spencer, and Barnard had a number of kills while the Vipers’ middle blockers were forcing the Mavericks to tip most of the time.
The tournament was a good test for the team and everyone now knows what work needs to be done.
The 16U Vipers next travel to Kenora for a one-day tournament against teams from Kenora and Dryden this Sunday.
