The Creighton Kodiak senior girls volleyball team is up against their toughest challenge this weekend.
They have earned a spot in the Regional competition.
Last weekend, the girls finished second in the volleyball Conferences with close games and an impressive record.
Their final game came down to Carrot River.
The girls defeated Carrot River 25-23 after being down by seven points in the first set.
The second set saw the Kodiaks fall 25-23 though they had been up by 14 points.
The third set was do or die for the Kodiaks as the winner would advance to the Regionals.
The Kodiaks were down their starting middle with a rolled ankle, but fought on to win 25-20 and advance to this weekend’s action.
Coach Ryan Trumbley says the girls competed hard all weekend.
“We were really happy with (the weekend),” he said.
Of the 10 Kodiaks on the court, last weekend marked the first Conference competition for six of the girls – in any sport.
“So we battled through some nerves,” Trumbley said.”
Trumbley says the girls missed a few serves that they normally would not have.
“But they really gutted it out and I’m really proud of them,” he said.
The Kodiaks will travel to Foam Lake, where they have been put into a pool with Wynyard and Meath Park.
“We want to go down and play good volleyball,” Trumbley says.
The coach says the young team has already met and surpassed all of the expectations of the season.
“If we move on we’re happy, but if we don’t then we’ve done our job,” he says.
At this point in the season, Trumbley points out that all the teams competing this weekend have earned their spot.
“At this stage, everyone is good. Everyone is equal,” he said.
Along with the Kodiaks, Meath Park, and Wynyard, the Regional competition will also see Naicam, Sturgeon Lake, and the hosting Foam Lake competing for the top spot.
The two pools will play in a round-robin fashion Saturday morning with the playoffs starting that afternoon between the two pools.
The Kodiaks are matched up against Meath Park at 10 a.m. and Wynyard at noon.
The top two spots from both pools will compete in the playoffs.
“We’re going in there with the same thing we’ve been doing all year,” Trumbley says.
It’s worked for the Kodiaks so far as they are 55-13 heading into the weekend action.
The Kodiaks spent the week doing light practices and working their second middle for the Regionals.
“We’re not worrying about other teams,” said Trumbley, knowing that the Kodiaks’ strengths are their services and offense. “We’re just going to do what we’ve been doing.”
