Queens win ACAC gold
Queens 3 Griffins 1
CALGARY — RDC Queens head coach Talbot Walton had every right to be smiling as he stood at centre court at Mount Royal College early Sunday evening.
For the first time since taking over the program from Cor Ouwerkerk a decade ago Walton was celebrating an Alberta Colleges Women’s Volleyball League championship.
Walton took the RDC squad to four national championships as a wild card, but this year’s edition of the Queens will compete at Canadians, March 12-14 in North Bay, Ont., as gold medalists following a 25-17, 22-25, 27-25, 25-13 victory over the MacEwan Griffins.
“It’s been a successful season,” said Walton. “As a coach you set goals to have a successful program and to me that’s winning. The girls did a great job. Everyone can feel good about this championship, and the girls that came before them are also a part of it. They set the ground work and we just carried it on.”
The Queens were one of the more experienced teams at the ACAC finals, and it was that experience which was the difference.
“We had a couple of calls go against us in the second set, then late in the third, but we were able to pull it together because of our experience,” said Queens third-year middle blocker Mandy Norris. “We’ve been through it before and because of that we were able to handle it and not panic.”
The Queens dominated the opening set as the Griffins showed their nerves. However, in the second set it was the Queens, who made the mistakes and gave the Griffins some hope.
“After the first set we expected them to come out better in the second and we were tentative,” added Norris. “They did pick it up and we didn’t match them.”
The Griffins did get a lift from their second-set victory and were right with the Queens for most of the third. In fact they appeared as if they’d grab the lead in the match when an out-of-bounds call went against the Queens, The RDC squad led 18-17 when the ball was ruled in on a hit by the Griffins that was long. After MacEwan scored to go ahead 19-18 Walton, who was still upset with the missed line call, received a yellow card, which put MacEwan up 20-18.
They held that lead at 23-21 and 24-22 but couldn’t put the RDC team away. The Queens showed their experience, and talent, as they dug down defensively and took the third set on a solid block. They then rolled over the Griffins in the fourth set.
“We had a good stride in the first set and got into a good rhythm, which we lost in the second,” said Walton. “We didn’t respond to MacEwan’s push, but we did show our experience in the third.”
Queens second-year setter Quinn Schulzke, who was named the RDC player of the match, agreed with Walton and Norris when it came to experience being a factor.
“I believe it was the difference,” she said. “We gained a lot of experience playing in the South Division, plus the experience we gained being in the nationals last year.
“It was a great team victory. I received the player of the game award, but anyone could have received it.”
The Queens also showed their depth as first-year power hitter Jaclyn Neufeld came in to replace starter Ashley Strome and finished with 13 kills and eight digs.
“Ashley started and did what we asked of her, then we were able to insert Jaclyn and she gave us a different look,” said Walton. “Both girls played their roles for us.”
Walton also used backup setter Aly Jones and right side Jill Folkard, when Schulzke was in the front row, which also changed the momentum.
“It’s definitely nice to have that depth,” said Schulzke.
Katie Graves added 11 kills and 14 digs for the Queens while Jessica Clutton had nine kills, 13 digs and two stuff blocks. Dana Fox had eight kills and Robyn Brouwer 10 digs. Kaylene Ehret had 14 kills for the Griffins, who had Lindsay Thurber grad Erica Latta at libero.
Despite the strong showing in the second and most of the third sets, Griffins head coach Ken Briggs didn’t feel they were in the match.
“We struggled right out of the gate . . . we were tight,” he said. “There was a little period in the middle where it was fun, but the victory was well deserved by them. They got stronger and stronger as the match wore on. I just feel bad we couldn’t battle right to the end.”
The Griffins will know today if they receive a wild card berth to the nationals.
Grande Prairie took third place with a 25-22, 25-21, 22-25, 28-26 victory over Mount Royal while Lakeland downed King’s 3-2 for fifth place and Medicine Hat beat SAIT 3-2 in the seventh-place match.
• The RDC Kings captured fifth place in the men’s championship in Grande Prairie, beating Keyano College of Fort McMurray 20-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-18.
“We were a little cold at the start, but overall we played well,” said Kings head coach Aaron Schulha. “We were happy with the way we played the last two matches here, but we’d love a do-over on the first day (a 3-0 loss to MacEwan). But that’s the way our season went with the ups and downs. It’s too bad as we had one off day here and it cost us a chance for the championship.”
Brandon Papp was the RDC player of the match, finishing with 10 kills, five digs and four stuff blocks.
MacEwan won gold, beating Mount Royal 19-25, 23-25, 30-28, 25-20, 15-11 and will join the host Keyano team at the national finals.
Medicine Hat beat SAIT 3-1 in the third-place match and Grande Prairie downed Briercrest 3-1 to take seventh.
Contact Danny Rode at drode@reddeeradvocate.com
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