The Olds College Broncos volleyball teams each suffered a pair of losses over the weekend, dropping the women to a 7-7 match record on the season, while the men are still looking for their first match win of the 2013-14 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference season.
The women lost to the Grande Prairie Regional College Wolves on Jan. 17 three sets to two (23-25, 25-21, 28-26, 21-25 and 15-8) and 3-2 on Jan. 18 (25-21, 23-25, 25-19, 16-25 and 19-17). The men, meanwhile, were swept in both matches by the Wolves, losing 25-18, 25-20 and 25-21 on Jan. 17 and 25-18, 25-23 and 25-20 on Jan. 18.
Kiara Kleckner was named the player of the match for the Broncos women's team on Jan. 18 while Connor Dooley was named the men's player of the match.
Following the match on Jan. 18, women's coach Chris Wandler said the match came down to the final few points when each side needed two in a row to win the match. Both teams had opportunities, but the Broncos couldn't capitalize on theirs.
ìOur whole second half (of the season) has been like that. I think we've kind of battled right down to the bitter end, we just haven't found a way to pull one of those off yet. We'll get there, we'll find a way,î he said.
Wandler said despite the same 3-2 match results on January 17 and 18, the team played more consistently on Jan. 18. On Jan. 17, he added, the team didn't have the proper mindset to win the match, whereas he thought the players had a much better frame of mind on Jan. 18.
ìWe pursued balls, we didn't give up, we (had) a little bit more volleyball IQ. I thought the effort was more consistent team-wise,î he said.
Wandler said the key to the team's remaining matches is to keep the focus on all the small details that will lead to success ñ especially against top-ranked teams such as the Wolves. Grande Prairie was ranked second in the ACAC with a 12-2 match record following the two victories over the Broncos.
ìWe can't get into those lapses of consistency when you play against good teams,î he said.
