Sonics down Greyhounds in tourney final
SAINT JOHN On May 3 the Sussex Sonics played in their last invitational senior girls volleyball tournament of the season when they participated in the eight-team Simonds event.
The Sonics finished the round robin with a 5-1 record and faced off against the host Seabees in the semifinal and defeated them 25-10 and 25-12.
The win set up a replay of last weekend's final at UNBSJ featuring the Sonics and the Saint John Greyhounds. The Hounds were victorious in three sets last week, but the Sonics gained some revenge this weekend with a three-set triumph.
The Sonics opened the championship with a 25-17 win, dropped the next set 25-23, but prevailed in the third set 15-13. Jenna Strang led the way with seven kills and four stuff blocks. Karen Creighton had five kills while Sam Dixon and Carla Norrad added seven and six digs respectively.
"It was nice to finish our regular season with a win against SJHS after losing a tough battle to them last weekend," coach Michael Swift said.
"Middle blocker Jenna Strang had her best match of the season. She attacked the ball well against a very big SJHS team and she blocked very well. Karen Creighton had a great match as well.
"Gaining some needed offence from our middles combined with our good outside swingers like Caitlin MacDonald, Kendra Sabine and Carla Norrad strengthen us heading into this week's regional playoff. Kalie Symington continues to grow as a setter and is now becoming an offensive threat and Sam Dixon's defence and court leadership is invaluable. Each player on the team has an important role in our success."
The Sonics have finished their regular season with a 23-1 record, good for first place in the southern conference for the seventh consecutive year. They host the southwest regional May 7 and will be joined by Saint John, Kennebecasis Valley and Simonds from the south while the west will be represented by Fredericton, Leo Hayes, Oromocto and Cite de Jeunes from Edmundston. Play begins at 3 p.m. with matches at the middle school and the high school.
The Sussex under-16 girls volleyball team is preparing for Volleyball Canada's Eastern Canadian championship in Moncton this weekend. Teams from Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces will take part in the three-day event. Members of the Sussex team are Larissa Verhoeven, Annie Blanchard, Kendra Sabine, Krista Snider, Lynn Symington, Emily Vincent, Stephanie Tays, Becky Marks, Madeline Belding, Sarah Holt, Brittany Wallace, Jade Baxendale and Sarah Meehan.
"This team participated in the VNB championship back in December," Swift said. "Four of the girls have been playing on the SRHS varsity team while the rest have been part of the SRHS junior team that just participated in the NBIAA championship. Sarah Meehan is in Grade 8 and has been playing on the Sussex Middle School team.
"Participating in an Eastern Canadian championship is a great experience for the girls. The competition will be tough but the experience is great for our athletes to see where they stack up to kids their age from other parts of the country."
You can follow the progress at www.volleyball.ca/index.asp?Language=1&Page=197.
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