Nanaimo’s high school volleyball teams are rising to the challenge of playoffs.
The Dover Bay Dolphins senior AAAA girls and Cedar Spartans single-A girls won North Island championships this past weekend and will be among the favourites at Islands this coming weekend.
Dover had home-court advantage at North Islands and took advantage by going undefeated over its five matches, never dropping a set. The closest of the matches came Thursday night against the Frances Kelsey Breakers, a 25-16, 28-26 victory.
The AAAA Island championships will be held in Victoria.
Cedar’s girls were just as thorough at their North Island tournament at Campbell River. The Spartans won all seven of their matches without dropping a set.
The final saw Cedar handle its rival Duncan Christian by scores of 25-14, 25-17.
The result means the Spartans, hosts of the Island championships this Friday (Nov. 18) and Saturday, will be favoured to win again and advance to provincials. Coach Bill Rounis said the Spartans are playing their best volleyball at the time of year that matters most.
Another team looking to advance is the Nanaimo District Islanders. There were no North Islands for senior AAA girls, so ND is jumping right into the Island championships this weekend in Courtenay.
The team has been dealing with some injuries, said Kyla Nichol, one of the coaches, but other players have stepped up and every girl has a role.
“All the girls have embraced those roles and have done really well with them, so this is the time where you want every person to shine,” Nichol said. “We have a lot of confidence in them.”
Wellington will also compete at AAA Islands.
Woodlands’ senior AA girls played a challenge game Wednesday after press time to try to advance to their Island tournament.
Barsby’s senior AA girls have been eliminated from contention.
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