By Darren Lum

Sometimes your best comes earlier than you need.

The Red Hawks senior volleyball team (an A team from a school of less than 500 students)  pulled out its best of the season a week earlier in the Kawartha qualifier against “great team” AAA Adam Scott said head coach Michelle Backus.

Backus said her team was up to the task and played well.
It split the two-game match 16-25 and 25-19.

A week later the Hawks were shut out (18-25 and 16-25) by the visiting team from Port Hope in the Girls’ A COSSA (Central Ontario Secondary School Athletics) Qualifier competition on Monday Feb. 22 hosted at Haliburton Highlands Secondary School.

In the qualifier match Backus thought her team who has the skill to compete and win was intimidated by the size of the Port Hope players who towered at the net reaching over the net without jumping.
“We hit into their blocks quite a few times. That jarred them a bit. It’s also hard to play at home at lunch time” she said referring to the large crowds. “We did better in the first half when they were facing [away] but then got a little nervous.”

Backus said her team still played well but it was shy of their best.
“They peaked against the AAA team which is lovely they just need to pick up their game play against the A teams and make sure they get rid of the nerves. Play to win and don’t worry about other people are thinking watching you. Next year we’ll have a great chance because we have a lot of that skill coming back” she said.
From four graduating players the senior team is only losing one of its starting players.
There are up to four juniors joining the team next year including two liberos – defensive specialist.

On the bench the team had healthy  scratches Alyssa Denyer andTori Hawley who were undressed for the game due to their curling commitments that would have taken the players away from the volleyball team had they made it to COSSA volleyball for Wednesday. Hawks player Chelsea Smallwood who had a knee injury was also on the bench.