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Colts Senior's win epic battle for Volleyball championship
ANDREW BRETHAUER   November 13th, 2010
 

It took till the final set to decide what fans are calling an epic battle between St. Clair and St. Christopher’s for the Senior Boys LSSAA Volleyball championships. St. Clair would lead the last set before falling behind half way through, but still came back to win the championship Friday night at Lambton College.

The Colts would open the first set quickly, with Kalen Hellinga getting three kills early in the match, while Seth Hellinga would serve to push the Colt lead to four. But Martin Popiel of the Cyclones would respond with a kill of his own, and the Cyclones would battle back to within one.

St. Clair would retake the lead, as the Cyclones would back off from four balls that hit just inside the court lines for points, They would take a timeout to regroup. The Colts would continue to push forward with Phil Tower killing the ball to put St. Clair over 20 points for the set and a five point lead. Another timeout by the Cyclones would not help to recover the set as Ryan Smith would tip the ball passed diving Cyclones to win the set, 25-17/

In the second set, Kalen Hellinga could continue his dominate net play, killing two balls to put the Colts up by four early on, 8-4, plus adding an ace on his service. Joe Clancy of the Cyclones would respond with his own ace, and St. Chris would start to close the gap as the Colts begin to make mistakes, hitting the ball long and wide.

The once five point leads had turned into a back and forth match as the teams would break each other on serves. Both teams would take a lead, but it was St. Christopher’s who would begin to pull away, scoring on long rally’s as the take a 22-20 lead. Cole mistakes would eventually lead to the set victory for the Cyclones, as they take the second set 25-22.

With the game tied at one set each, the third set would bring on another close battle. The Colts would open a six point lead, 11-5 as Adam Vanhooft pushes the Colts ahead. The Cyclones call a timeout to try and stop the rush of points, and after the timeout, St. Clair begins to make mistakes. But Phil Tower would restore the Colts five point lead with a kill, St. Chris would keep playing hard, and close the gap to just one with three blocks and continued their strong net play with blocks from Popiel and Clancy to tie the score at nineteen all.

Popiel would miss a kill and the Colts would take advantage, opening up their lead late in the match. Seth Hellinga would put it away for the Colts with a strong kill to put St. Clair one set away from victory.

The closest set was the fourth set, as neither team could open up a lead greater then two points. The Colts would get kills from the regulars Hellinga and Tower, while Cyclones would return the kills from Popiel and Clancy.

Late in the match, the Cyclones would pull away, going on a five point run to push ahead 22-18. The Colts would take two back, to close the gap, but Aaron Dunn of the Cyclones would get a key block on a Colt kill to win the set four the Cyclones and send it to a fifth and deciding set.

Much like sets prior, the Colts surged forward, jumping out to a 3-1 lead in the first to fifteen set. That lead would be pushed to 6-2 following more kills from Seth Hellinga, but after Colt misses, and court violations, plus Clancy and Popiel getting blocks at the net, the Colt lead fell and the Cyclones took over. Popiel would block the Colts again to give the Cyclones a two point lead as they switch courts and capping off a six point run.

But back the Colts came, with Tower killing the ball for the tie at nine each. The teams would go back and forth to 13-13, each two points from victory. Kalen Hellinga would kill the ball to give the Colts their first match point of the net. Clancy would have a chance to tie up the match, but his kill would go wide, and the Colts would win the epic battle 15-13, and 3-2 in sets.

With the victory the Colts fourth title in Senior Volleyball in a row. Kyle Hampshire of the Colts lead with 36 assists, while David French had 20 for the Cyclones.  

 

 

 

 




 

 

Game Results
25-17, 22-25, 25-21, 22-25, 15-13

 

 

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