Muscle memory is a highly effective tool when it comes to athletic tests.
Don’t discount emotional memory, however.
The St. Thomas More senior girls volleyball team start the B.C. AA championships tomorrow (Thursday) in Vanderhoof, looking to right a wrong and finish the season on a great note.
A loss in the Lower Mainland final – 2-1 to archrival York House – bumped the Knights from second to fifth in provincial ranking, and left a sour taste in the players’ mouths, head coach Becky Lang said.
“We’re hoping to put a disappointing finish at the Lower Mainlands behind us,” said Lang from YVR, as the team waited for its flight to Prince George. “The girls are really excited and were so excited most got here before I did. That doesn’t happen often.”
The loss in the final came with some controversy in the tie-breaking set, after the two sides opened the best-of-three 1-1. Deadlocked 14-14 in the deciding set, what Lang described as a “terrible call” handed York the momentum they needed to seal the win and the title.
During their previous two encounters, STM prevailed.
“We played really well and won every game 2-0 up until the final,” said Lang.
The defeated Notre Dame in the semifinal. The team, which rolled 6-0 through the regular season, was led by league MVP Elizabeth Bilawey.
With a large contingent of Grade 12s on the roster, STM is looking at improving on last year’s fifth-place result, and improve on it in a big way.
Memories of last year will be drawn upon, said Lang, as the team targets a spot in the final four, with whatever comes after that sugar and spice.
“We just want to play our best (at provincials) and leave it all on the court,” she said. “I think (provincial experience) will be a big factor under the team’s belt, and we’ll be happy knowing we played our best and gave it our all.”
The provincial draw placed the Knights in a pool with host Nechako Valley, Valleyview and Fraser Valley No. 3 Langley Christian, who had spent time ranked first overall.
As luck would have it, despite numerous tournaments this season, STM hasn’t encountered any AA Fraser Valley opponents. But last year, Langley Christian was the opponent at the provincial quarter-finals where the Knights pushed it to five sets before falling 3-2.
“Definitely, there could be some redemption,” said Lang. “That (round robin game against Langley Christian) is definitely going to be a strong test.”
