WATERLOO REGION (February 18, 2016) – On Wednesday night, St. Mary’s senior girls volleyball team knocked off the Woodland Cavaliers who carried the best regular season record into the playoffs.

The first two sets stayed tight early with multiple lead changes and the score almost always tied. Woodland came out strong with big hits from their grade 12 star power hitters Michaela Hellinga and Marika Frank.

In the first two sets Woodland would call timeouts down 21-17 in the first and 18-14 in the second to slow the St. Mary’s momentum, but the Eagles would end up winning both 25-19 and 25-16. These set wins came at the hands of grade 11 power hitter Samantha Fisher and great blocks up the middle from grade 11 Jade Nowe.

The third set was much of the same back and forth play with multiple lead changes. St. Mary’s grade 10 setter Melissa Laslavic kept Woodland on their toes with crafty tips on the second touch, but the Cavaliers’ defensive positioning was able to handle it as they took the third set 25-20.

Woodland would settle in with a newly gained confidence in the fourth set as they held a slight edge for most of the way, including a 23-22 advantage late. The Eagles however would tally the next three straight points to secure the District 8 title with a 25-23 fourth set.

St. Mary’s will now play in the AAA CWOSSA Championships February 24th and 25th in Kitchener-Waterloo. Woodland will advance to the single A CWOSSA championships in hopes of advancing to OFSAA along with host Rockway. St. David’s will play a AA CWOSSA qualifier match on Monday at St. David’s at 3:30pm.

The junior title was a highly talented affair between St. Mary’s and St. Benedict’s. Both teams finished the regular season tied with a 12-2 record along with Resurrection.

St. Benedict’s took an early lead in the first set and did not look back. With massive hits from grade nine off side hitter Madeline Bairos, the Saints cruised to a 25-16 first set win.

The second set was much of the same as St. Benedict’s grade nine Taijah Coston owned the middle of the net with big hits and impenetrable blocks. The Saints would win the second set 25-15

Bairos seemed to be all over the court attacking from frontcourt and backcourt along with grade nine power hitter Angelina Markotic. Grade 10 setter Sydney Cook seemed to be on point all night for St. benedict’s as they secured the junior title in straight sets.

St. Benedict’s will advance to play in the AAA CWOSSA Championship next week in Kitchener-Waterloo, while St. David’s is the D8 AA representative, and Pere-Rene-de-Galinee will play in the A CWOSSA Championship.

The midget girls title was captured last week by Monsignor Doyle who beat Resurrection is two straight sets in a rematch from 2014-15 championship.