OLDS — The host École Olds High School senior girls volleyball team won their home tournament on Saturday, downing the Morrin School Mustangs two games to one.
The tournament was held Friday and Saturday at the Ralph Klein Centre gym. Strathmore finished in third place.
It was the first time the Spartans had won a tournament in three tries this season.
Danielle Jorgensen, who co-coaches the team with Leanne Koosey, says it was especially satisfying to win the team’s home tournament.
The difference this time, Jorgensen said, was that the girls have learned to play as a unit.
“We kind of just got to a point in the season where they started to play well together and they’re just more familiar with who’s standing behind them kind of thing, so they’re just playing more like a team on the court,” she said during an interview.
The Spartans faced Morrin twice.
The Spartans beat them Friday night, then the two teams met in the final.
Morrin won the first game of that set, but the Spartans stormed back to win the next two.
Jorgensen is proud of the way the Spartans didn’t get down after losing that first game in the final.
“They had to fight back to win it,” she said.
This year, the team is split almost 50/50 between Grade 11s and Grade 12s.
Due to COVID restrictions, there’s a lack of experience.
“Because of last year’s COVID volleyball year, there’s only actually one girl on our team that’s played senior-level volleyball before,” Jorgensen said.
As a result, she’s pleased with how quickly the team has jelled and adapted to the senior-level game.
“I think they’ve done a good job,” she said.
The Spartans’ next tournament is at the end of the month in Airdrie, followed by another in Strathmore in early November.
After that, the zones will be held in mid-November.
