The SAIT Trojans women’s volleyball team finally ended an eight-year losing streak against rivals Mount Royal University Cougars on Friday Jan. 15.
The injury-plagued Trojans battled through a four-set game, beating the Cougars in sets two, three, and four (25-19, 25-18, 25-21.)
Andrea Price, a second year left side from MRU, said her team did not mentally prepare well enough for the matches.
“SAIT played a really good game that night,” she said.
Daly Donaghy of the SAIT Trojans Women's volleyball team competes against the MRU Cougars at SAIT on Jan. 15. The Trojans won 3-1 after an eight year losing streak against the cross-town rivals
Kim Olness, a third year Trojans player, was named player of the game with seven kills, and four stuff blocks which greatly contributed to the mental shutdown of the Cougar team.
"The girls decided to play to win," said Diane Clarke, first year head coach.
“The win felt amazing,” said Christine Issel, a fourth year player. “Now the huge weight is lifted from everyone’s shoulders.”
The women’s team finished the first half of the season with a 2-8 record, leaving it the only SAIT team to not place first in its division.
“We felt like we let so many people down,” said Daly Donaghy, a left-side hitter. “All of our fans, our coaches, our school, and mostly, each other.”
Their new attitude and drive for the second half of the season has already gotten them a 3-0 record, which stands alone as not only a great improvement, but also a great achievement.
The Cougars were last defeated by the Trojans women’s volleyball team on Nov. 23, 2002.
“This was a success that was eight years in the making,” said Donaghy. “It felt amazing.”
Despite the rough run the girls had in the first semester, they all believe they deserve to be in the provincial pool.
“We are such a good team when we work together and play as a team,” said second year player Lyndsay Anderson. “We knew we all had the skill and potential to make it to provincial pool, but we just couldn’t figure it out in the first semester.”
Anderson said that when the team returned from Christmas holidays, the girls had a new fire in them, proclaiming “New season, new team,” and returned willing to fight hard for what they wanted.
The Trojans returned from holidays with only four days to practice until their first game against Kings University College Eagles. After sweeping them both Friday and Saturday night, the Trojans were already experiencing the benefits of putting in the hard work over the break.
“I think the key to our success so far in the second half is due to the work each girl put in over Christmas,” Issel said. “It was crucial that we maintained a high fitness level so we could come back ready for round two.”
“I know this is something that none of us will forget,” Issel says. “We’ll be remembered as the team that finally beat Mount Royal.”
