SLHS Senior Girls Volleyball: The end of the line at EOSSAA

After placing third in KASSAA season play, the Sharbot Lake Senior Girls Volleyball team won their first two matches in the A division of the Eastern Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association (EOSSAA) playoffs, each in a 2 sets to 0 sweep.

Their first opponent was MacKenzie High School, the host school of the tournament which was held in Deep River and the second opponent was Notre Dame Catholic High School from Carleton Place. This put the Panthers first in their pool.

Going into the semi-final match against L’Heritage High School from Cornwall the Panthers lost the first set 25-18, but came back in the second after trailing by 10 points and won the second 25-23, forcing a third set.

The third and final set was a back and forth nail biter. Half way through Sharbot Lake was down 8-7. L’Heritage went on a run and was leading 13-8 until Sharbot Lake’s server Courtney Meeks brought the team back, tying it up 13-13, and the team followed through with a final set win 17-15, putting the Panthers into the finals.

In their final EOSSAA game against Embrum High School, the Panthers played two close sets, losing the first 25-20 and the second 25-19.

Though they did not qualify for OFSAA the Panthers are thrilled with their EOSSAA finish and ended what was a great season for the team. According to Coach Bryan English, “The girls had a chance to get a taste of championship play so next year I think they’ll be hungry to get back to where they ended up this year.“
Also in EOSSA senior girls volleyball action: Sydenham's Golden Eagles, after winning the KASSAA trophy in an undefeated season, met Fellows High School in their first AAA EOSSA match in Pembrooke. The Golden Eagles lost the first set and won the second to force a third. According to coach Brian Rombough it was a real "barn burner". The Sydenham girls won it to take the match 2-1. In the next match the Eagles took on TISS (Thousand Islands Secondary School) and won that match in 2 sets.

In the semi-final match the Eagles were up once again against KCVI, they team they had beaten in Kingston two weeks ago to win KASSAA.

Seeking revenge, KCVI played a tough defensive game and continued to chip away at the Eagles with every return. According to Coach Rombough, KCVI's digger Laura Yateman dug up every ball the Eagles returned. Sydenham lost the first set, came back to win the second and lost the final 15-12, losing their chance to play at the province-wide tournament, which had been their goal.

Coach Rombough summed up the Eagles’ season. "We played a great season in KASSAA and took the trophy undefeated. But as a team we really felt that we were one of the top 10 in the province and so feel that our season was cut short.That being said I'm really proud of the team; they are a very talented bunch of girls and we are going to continue our style of play, which is to take risks."