Spartans lost their zip

 

Shannon LeClair 

Times Reporter

 

The senior girls volleyball team played at Samuel Crowther Memorial Junior High School on the 29. They were up against the Okotoks Falcons for the first game at 5:30 p.m.  The Falcons unfortunately had the advantage over the Spartans and won the game. The second game was against Notre Dame from High River. 

“We did much better the second game. We played better, in a nutshell the first game they didn’t bring their zip with them,” said coach Louis Bleier. 

Bleier said the team has to be ready and excited to play every match and she just didn’t feel that was the case on Wednesday.  

“We didn’t prepare well enough mentally.” 

Another factor which might have taken away from the girls enthusiasm and determination was the fact they were playing a home game, but not in their own gym. 

The next host game for the team will be October 20 at the Strathmore High School, SHS, gym. The team also hosts again on November 10 when they play against Strathcona and High Wood High School. 

“Those two matches on November 10 should be very exciting,” said Bleier. 

She said both teams are “fabulous competition” and they always have great matches against the Spartans. Even though the next home game isn’t for a few weeks, the girls are playing an away game every Wednesday between the home games. 

November 5 and 6 will see the annual tournament coming to the SHS gym. The tournament is for both the girls and boys teams, though this year SHS doesn’t have a senior boys team.  November 20 and 21 will be the finals and if the team finishes in the top two they will have an opportunity to go to provincials the following weekend. 

“Our zone is one of the toughest ones to come out of, but when you do come out of it you tend to do very well in provincials,” said Bleier. 

The team needs to improve and fine tune their technique a bit, said Bleier, and continue to move forward.