The Duchess Park dream of winning the BC double-A boys provincial volleyball championship fell short Thursday afternoon on the Coldstream court, where the hometown Kalamalka Lakers pounded out a 3-2 match win over the Condors.
“The first set we started off down like eight points but we ended up winning that set, that one was pretty close,” said Condors head coach Griffin Olexyn. “Then we just battled back and forth the next three sets (the Condors won the third set 25-18 and lost 25-18 in the fourth).
“We just came up short unfortunately.”
The Condors, ranked fifth going in to the 16-team tournament, started the day with a straight-set win over South Kamloops, having gone undefeated in three seeding B Pool matches on Wednesday.
The Condors have just eight players available for the tournament and fatigue could become a factor, especially in matches that get drawn out five sets.
“We’re trying to battle for our ranking right now,” said Olexyn. “The best we can do is fifth and that’s the goal.”
“It’s tough when you see other teams with a full bench. But we have eight guys who really want it and really give it their all and it’s working out for us.”
The Condors opened with a 3-2 win over the College Heights Cougars in a rematch of the North Central zone final. The Condors took the opening set 26-24, but the Cougars, under head coach Jay Guillet, rallied to a 25-19 win in the second set. Duchess took the deciding set 15-11.
“That started off really close but then we pulled away, the boys were really excited and wanted to win that match and prove they are the top team in the zone,” said Olexyn.
The best Duchess Park can finish now is fifth. The Condors will play J.N. Burnett Breakers of Richmond Friday at 2 p.m. The winner moves on to the fifth-place playoff Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
College Heights lost its round of 16 playoff 3-2 to R.N. Burnett, then defeated L.V. Rogers Bombers of Nelson 2-0. The Cougars will face Alpha Eagles of Burnaby Friday at 12:30 p.m. The best College Heights can finish now is ninth.
Meanwhile, at the single-A girls championship in Nanaimo. The Cedars Christian Eagles were a perfect 3-0 in their B Pool matches Thursday.
Cedars reeled off wins over Nanaimo Christian Trail Blazers 2-0 (25-13, 26-24), Aberdeen Hall Gryphons of Kelowna 2-0 (25-17, 25-13) and Southpointe Academy Titans of Delta 2-0 (25-22, 25-19).
For winning their pool, Cedars moves up a notch in the rankings and will be seeded fifth in the championship draw Friday against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
At the triple-A girls championship in West Vancouver, the sixth-ranked College Heights Cougars lost their opening match 2-0 (22-25, 23-25) to Point Grey Greyhounds of Vancouver, but rebounded in their second match Thursday after losing the first set to defeat George Elliot Coyotes of Lake Country 2-1 (24-26, 25-15, 15-10).
The Cougars were due to face No. 5-ranked Sentinel Spartans of West Vancouver in a late match Wednesday.
The Duchess Park Condors, ranked ninth going in, won their first two Pool C matches defeating R.A. McMath Wildcats of Richmond 2-0 and Ballenas Whalers of Parksville 2-0. The Condors were matched with No. 10 Mark Isfeld Ice of Courtenay in a late game.
BC Secondary School provincial volleyball championship results
Girls
Double-A at Mill Bay
D.P. Todd Trojans defeated Charles Hays Rainmakers of Prince Rupert 2-0, lost to Pacific Christian Pacers of Victoria 2-0
Next game: To be determined
Boys
Single-A in Abbotsford
Cedars Christian Eagles defeated Duncan Christian Chargers of Duncan 2-0, lost to St. John Brebeuf Bears of Abbotsford 2-0.
Next game: Cedars vs. To be determined, Friday 11 a.m.
