The host Canora Cougars senior girls volleyball team finished as the runner-up in a tournament held at Canora Composite School (CCS) on October 26 and 27, and followed that with a third-place finish at the conference tournament on November 3.
In the Canora tournament, the Cougars lost to the first place Preeceville/Invermay team in a tightly-contested final match, said Steve Merriam coach.
Originally it was scheduled as a seven-team tournament. In addition to the host Canora squad, teams from Hanley, Regina Christian School, Kamsack, Preeceville/Invermay, Little Red River and Montreal Lake were scheduled to attend.
But the situation changed on the first day of the tournament.
鈥淚 received word from Montreal Lake that internal circumstances prevented the team from travelling,鈥� said Merriam. 鈥淚 re-drew the match schedule for a six team round robin format and added a semi-final match.鈥�
All round robin matches were two sets only. The Cougars played each remaining team once in the round robin, winning both sets against Regina Christian School and Kamsack, and splitting the two-set matches versus Little Red River, Hanley and Preeceville. Canora finished the round robin with a sets record of seven wins and three losses, to place second in the round robin.
Preeceville/Invermay was first at eight wins and two losses.
鈥淲e met Kamsack in the semi-final and took both sets to advance to the final versus Preeceville,鈥� said Merriam. 鈥淚n the final, we lost to Preeceville in straight sets by scores of 25 to 17 and 25 to 19.鈥�
Even though the Cougars lost in the final match, Merriam was happy with the team鈥檚 performance.
鈥淲e played hard throughout the tournament and had several good attacks throughout the matches,鈥� he said.聽 鈥淥ur serving and passing continue to be solid.聽 We had strong set wins versus Regina Christian and Little Red River, and we are hoping to build on these wins through the next weeks. I鈥檓 proud of our team making it to the finals.鈥澛犅犅犅犅�
The 3A Conference Tournament was held in Preeceville on November 3.
The Cougars competed against teams from Foam Lake, Wadena, Sturgis, Kamsack and the host Preeceville/Invermay team.
For the round robin portion of the tournament, Canora was in a pool with Kamsack and Preeceville/Invermay. The Cougars defeated Kamsack in two straight sets and then suffered a tough loss versus the host team, two sets to one.
That set up a semifinal match against Foam Lake. The Cougars made it close but lost in two straight sets by scores of 25-16 and 25-23.聽
Foam Lake then defeated Preeceville/Invermay in the final match. By finishing first and second, both teams advanced to the regional tournament.
Merriam said he was proud of the Cougars team.
鈥淭eam member have worked hard throughout the season, which led to improved play as the season progressed,鈥� he said.
