17U wins Silver in Stouffville The 17 U team travelled to Stouffville to the McGregor Cup Trillium B for their first tournament of the season. Due to road closures in December and thus not able to attend the Toronto tournament, they were more than eager to play. In the first round robin game, they were matched up against Etobicoke E381 and won 25-18 and 25-12. In the second game they faced Georgian Bay Vista and won the matches 25-20 and 25-13. With this record, they placed first in their pool. The girls were given a bit of a break before playoffs started. In the quarter final game the girls found themselves against the Etobicoke Wildcats 16U. Chill took the first set 25-20. In the second set they played hard but fell short losing 19-25. The pressure was on for the third set since they were not ready to give up yet and managed to pull off a win of 15-10. The semi final game saw them against the Orillia Suns. This was a huge game for Chill since a medal was in their reach and they needed to work together to get the job done. Chill won the first set 25-17 and lost the second set 15-25. It all came down to the third and final set. The two teams were well matched and with back and forth rallies and hits made it for an exciting game for both players and fans. Chill ended up winning the set 17-15 and were extremely excited playing in the finals. The final game pitted them against the Halton Hurricanes who had yet to lose a single set in the tournament. With just finishing playing 6 sets in a row they knew it was going to be a tough match. Chill played hard the first set but lost 14-25. In the second set Chill rallied together and played very well to win 25-22. The excitement mounted and the girls played hard but were unable to defeat the Hurricanes and lost 8-15. They did however win a well deserved silver medal in this tournament. Great teamwork and effort and of course fan support added to the successful weekend. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 18U Win Gold The journey continued this past weekend for the Northern Chill Girls 18U team as it travelled to Cambridge, Ontario to compete in the McGregor Cup, the second event of the season. After a less than satisfactory result at the first tournament, the squad was looking to bounce back with a positive effort. Buoyed by the return of starting setter Michelle Claveau to the line-up from injury, the team served noticed to the competition that a return to form would happen both quickly and emphatically. Pool play began with the second ranked Chill justifying their pre-tournament hype, winning in straight sets over the Bluewater Blizzard (25-16, 25-19) and the Cambridge Hawks Black (25-7, 25-16). With first place in their pool easily secured, the Chill would continue the march to redemption with a straight set quarter-final win over the Burlington Blaze, posting identical 25-18, 25-18 wins. The Georgetown Impact would be the next obstacle in the path of the team. A strong service game and efficient transition would prove to the difference as the Chill easily disposed of their counterparts in straight sets by scores of 25-10 and 25-12. With the promised land within sight, the team prepared for what would prove to be their toughest competition of the day against the Forest City Green (London) in the Championship Final. The teams would trade the first two sets highlighted some ferocious attacks and spirited defense. The third and deciding set would see the team embrace their theme of the tournament of “Believe” and race out to an early 5-0 cushion. With a renewed commitment and resolve, the Chill would not be denied, capturing the third set and match by scores of 25-19, 22-25 and 15-9. The team would also like to extend thanks to the many parents and family that attended the tournament and were a constant source of support throughout the tournament. The 18U team will continue its journey now with preparations for the Bugarski Cup in London on February 6th. _____________________________________________________________________________________ |
