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Chargers improve on seeding at girls volleyball provincials

Ranked 18th, DCS climbs to 13th in B.C.
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The Duncan Christian School Chargers finished 13th at the single-A girls volleyball provincial championships. (submitted)

The Duncan Christian School Chargers improved significantly on their initial seeding by placing 13th overall at the single-A girls volleyball provincial championships in Nanaimo last week.

“We had a few players battling colds and some frustration,” head coach Jim Brandsma acknowledged. “But after coming together as a teams the girls came and proved that we were not an 18-seed team.”

The Chargers kept pace with many of the province’s top teams, including a close call with eighth-seeded Credo Christian in the second set of their round-robin match.

“I think our only downfall over the weekend was that we allowed a few teams to go on extended serving runs,” Brandsma said. “That ultimately was the difference at the end of the match.”

The Chargers got off to an excellent start as they won their opening match 25-22, 25-22 over Cedars Christian of Prince George. They faced highly regarded Credo later that day, battling back from an 8-1 deficit in the set only to fall 25-21, then losing the second set 25-23. As pool play continued, DCS lost to Fernie Secondary 25-7, 25-17 and second-ranked Kelowna Christian 25-16, 25-15.

The Chargers’ first match after pool play saw them give third-seeded Elkford Secondary a run in the first set before falling 25-13 and 25-12 in the next two sets. DCS won the first game of their next match 25-13 over Mount Sentinel, then lost the next two sets 28-26 and 15-10.

The Chargers won both their matches on the final day of competition, first getting past Campbell River Christian 25-23, 25-14, then beating Immaculata in two straight sets, with Jaymie Brandsma serving 12 points in a row.

“As with all tournaments, there were ups and downs and the teams that can minimize those usually come out on top,” said Jim Brandsma, who coached the team along with former DCS players Katrina Neilson and Rob Vanderschaaf. “I would say the girls played some of the best volleyball of the season. We had some really great matches against some top 10 teams.”

The Chargers bid farewell to Grade 12 players Zoe Wall, Mikayla George, Emily Neufeld, Anna Corbett and Anna Young.

“We want to thank them for all their work and leadership and wish them God’s blessings wherever He may take them upon graduation,” Brandsma said.