Sydenham High School Volleyball: setting it up for success

Jan 22, 2014

Judging by their current standings in KASSAA (Kingston Area Secondary Schools Athletic Association), the Sydenham Golden Eagles junior and senior girls' volleyball teams arepoised to go far this season.

Both teams are tied for first place and if their games against the LCVI Lancers, which took place in Sydenham on January 16 are any indication, it looks like Sydenham has got what it takes as the league goes on hiatus for a two-week exam break.

The seniors girls, who are tied with Regiopolis with perfect 10-0 records, were strong from the start in their face-off against the LCVI Lancers last Thursday (January 16), taking first set 25-17. The Lancers put up a fight, though, and in the second set demonstrated their determination, tying it up 8-8 after Sydenham took an early lead, and then taking the lead by two points later on.

Golden Eagles Tiffany Amos served up a couple of aces to bring Sydenham back into the lead with the Lancers fighting back hard once again to tie it up 15-15. It was an all out back and forth battle to the end of the set, which included a number of very exciting volleys. With the score tied 22 Sydenham scored on a spike and then put the set away 25-22.

Sydenham came out strong in the third set again with #2 Golden Eagle Alanna Walsh serving Sydenham’s way to an early four-point lead. The Lancers tried to fight back but when Sydenham power/setter Krissy Berndt served another couple of aces the Lancers appeared to lose a bit of steam, missing a few much-needed points at the net and hitting some overly strong returns that came down outside the line. Sydenham's Berndt then hit a number of powerful spikes and the set was soon over 25-11. The three-point win leaves Sydenham’s seniors undefeated thus far in the season.

I spoke with Sydenham senior power/setter Krissy Berndt following the win; the grade 13 student said she returned to do her fifth year at Sydenham partly to be able to play another season since last year’s season was quashed as a result of the strikes. She said the team has been working hard on getting their communication down while also working on their defense. “We're really hoping to continue on this season playing like we did today as a team and our goal is to go all the way,” Berndt said. She credited the team’s coaches, Katie May and Scott Cashol, as a big reason why the team is playing so well.

Katie May teaches Phys Ed and Science at Sydenham and has been coaching the senior team at Sydenham for the past seven years. She played volleyball as a left side hitter at the University of Toronto for five years as an undergraduate. May said her focus for the seniors this year has been on communication, defense, hard work and instilling a positive attitude. She credited the team as a group for their success so far this season.

“This is a wonderful group of players who are really committed to the whole team experience in terms of sharing the hard work as well as their failures and successes. Not only do they want to work hard and improve, but they are also really striving to soak up what we are teaching them.”

Brian English coaches Sydenham's junior team, which is tied atop the bunched up the KASSAA standings with four other teams that all have a 7-2 record. Their game against the Lancers took place following the seniors' game. The first set was close throughout. The score was tied at 15 before Sydenham pulled away with a 4 point service and ended up taking the set 25-20. In the second it was all Sydenham, who were up early on and at one point led 15-1 before they closed out the second 25-7. The final set clinched the juniors' three set win as they stayed in control throughout and beat the Lancers 25-14.

Brian English said the game was a big one for the juniors who earlier in the week lost to LaSalle for their second loss of the season. “This game was a great one in getting back our confidence as a team,”

He added that the Sydenham juniors, like most junior teams in the KAASSAA this year, "have struggled because they did not have a season last year. A lot of the work in positioning and systems that you would normally take for granted as being in place is not because there was no season last year…That and the fact that the grade nine players last year did not have a chance to play.”

In their win against the Lancers, the Golden Eagles were led by Junior right side hitter Jaymie Richmond who scored four key service points and by power/libero Kaleigh Churchmuch who got in a few great digs and dives, thereby making a couple of exceptional and exciting points for the team.

On a slightly different note, it has just been announced that Leslie Lawlor, Sydenham High School Teacher-Coach, has been chosen as the Coaches Association of Ontario Award of Excellence recipient for this year. A well deserved reward for a career of commitment to student athletes!