Undefeated through their opening two tournaments of the season, the surging Riverside Rebels will look to keep their momentum rolling this weekend in Saskatoon/Warman for the first Sask Cup tournament of the season. (Submitted photo/Vic Stynsky)

By Martin Martinson

Bump, Set, Spike

Riverside Rebels ready to seize opportunity ahead at Sask Cup

Feb 5, 2020 | 5:54 PM

While the high school volleyball season may have wrapped up long ago, the club volleyball schedule is just getting started in the Battlefords.

The Riverside Rebels are a local 17-U team in the community, and have shot out of the gates strong this year, going undefeated in back-to-back tournaments to open the season.

Following a perfect performance that saw the team run the table in Meadow Lake, the Rebels then added another perfect showing last weekend in their home tournament. They topped Saskatoon in straight sets, 25-11 and 25-17 in the final, to keep their place atop the podium.

This weekend the girls will look to keep their momentum rolling, as the team will head to their first of what will be three Sask Cup tournaments, placed sporadically throughout the season.

Head coach of the Rebels, Vic Stynsky said he is proud of how the team has been able to start this year, adding the group is excited for the challenge ahead, this weekend in Saskatoon and Warman.

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“So far it has been a really good start to the season,” Stynsky said. “We have a big challenge this weekend with our first Sask Cup, which is like a provincial level competition for our age group, [but] we’re looking to do good there, and it will be a good test for the girls.”

Five of the eight players on this year’s team, were also a part of last season’s Rebels’ squad, who finished second in two of their Sask Cup appearances, and closed out the year sixth overall in the province.

Stynsky said he believes solid comradery amongst the group has only helped the team find success through the early going this year.

“I think we have gelled really well the last few years,” he said. “Having five players come back again from last year kind of gives us a jump early in the season here. All the players know each other pretty well, and their tendencies and strengths and weaknesses, so it helps us gel maybe a little quicker than a team that has all new players on it.”

In addition to their preexisting chemistry, the coach said the team’s experience has also brought with it a level of calm collectiveness that should bode well heading into the Sask Cup.

“I think we are a team that is fairly level headed and very consistent,” Stynsky said. “We don’t get really up and down throughout the game [and] if we do have a little stretch where we are struggling, we are able to bounce back and recover from that. I think it is their character that is really a positive for the girls. They are confident they can play well as a team and because of that, they have been successful so far.”

The Rebels will play the Wawota Wildfire in their opening game of the weekend, Saturday at 9 a.m.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1