Pictured clockwise: The BVC 16U men's team, 18U men's team and 17U women's team made their mark at provincials over the weekend. (Submitted photos/Paul Sarsons)

By Martin Martinson

BVC tandem silver

Battlefords Volleyball Club see continued success at provincials

May 10, 2022 | 12:59 PM

It was another strong weekend for Battlefords Volleyball Club at provincials in Warman and Saskatoon.

The 18U men’s team took home a Division I silver medal, while the 16U men won Division II silver, and the 17U women overcame adversity early to finish the tournament strong.

Playing six games total on the weekend, the 18U men’s team opened their tournament with four in the round robin Saturday, receiving a bye to the semifinals. There they topped Regina 18U in two-straight sets to punch their ticket to the finals against Saskatoon’s HHVC, taking them to three sets, before falling 15-10 in the third, to earn the provincial silver medal.

Head coach of the 18Us, Paul Sarsons said he was proud of the way the team was able to come together and play their best at the most important time.

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“Their best game of the weekend was definitely the final against HHVC,” Sarsons said. “They played a very good game and myself and assistant coach Brent Teasdale are very happy and proud of the boys, who started off the season sick, with lots of injuries and playing multiple sports. They just continue to move in an upward trajectory heading into nationals in two weeks.”

The 18Us will be joined at nationals by the 16U men’s team and 17U women’s team, who are coming off a challenging weekend that saw the team band together as a unit for a ninth-place finish out of a pool of 25, despite missing a focal point of their attack.

In just their first game at provincials, the team lost their starting setter, Katelyn Payne with a rolled ankle. An integral part of the team’s system, while the injury provided a large blow to the team, coach Heather Berezowski said the coaching staff couldn’t be more proud of the team’s resiliency.

“They really overcame a tough situation and were so graceful about it and so humble about it, and they never gave up which was our main focus,” she said. “We came back and won one game to bring us into a three-way tie in our pool play and then won our last game, taking it in two sets as a team, so there were some shining moments for the team.”

“It made the girls really have to come together and start having that chatter on the court and talking to each other and they really stepped up as a team. So with [Payne] back for nationals, I think we are going to just be that much better.”

Nationals will take place later this month at the Edmonton Expo Centre. The 17U women’s team will compete May 19-21, while the men’s teams will be May 21-24.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1