The Belmont Bulldogs senior girls volleyball team is exceeding most people’s expectations this season, including coach Mike Toakley.
The mostly Grade 11 and 10 squad continued their dominance in major competitions, capturing last weekend’s Vancouver Island University tournament with a straight-set victory (25-18, 27-25) over Mount Douglas in the championship final.
While Toakley said the focus and skill of this group continues to impress him, the way they rebounded from a 14-6 deficit in the second game of the final left him shaking his head.
“As a unit they have this ability to keep themselves composed,” he said. “Even at 14-6, they chipped away and didn’t panic and before you (knew) it they were on the winning side of the score.”
The serving of Jocelyn Sherman, who attended and played at Royal Bay last year in Grade 9, sparked a run that got the Bulldogs back into the game.
Savannah Purdy was named tournament most valuable player, while teammates Miranda Cyr and Gracie May were named to the all-star team.
The win marked a sweep of the unofficial triple crown of senior girls tournaments. Belmont has also won the UVic and Camosun College tournaments this season. All three competitions attract some of the top teams in the province and the win should keep Belmont at number 1 among AAAA teams in B.C.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com