For the Edwin Parr Composite senior volleyball squads, there wasn’t too much to cheer about after both teams finished up their tournament schedule in Edson on the weekend.
The Predators senior girls club continued to their sporadic and inconsistent play, playing well enough to keep matches close yet not being able to get over the hump and win a match.
Head coach Lance Gyte knows its the same things his team has to work on before heading into the zone playdown just less than two weeks.
“We would play most of round robin opponents well and lose games 25-23 and 25-16, all except Thorsby who beat us 25-13, 25-12, Gyte said.
“Our serve receive wasn’t great this weekend, so we will be working on that prior to zones.”
In the consulation round, the Predators lost to Fort McMurray’s Father Mecredi 26-24 and 25-16; then also lost to Evansburg in three sets.
Good Friday, Bad Saturday
On the senior boys side of the draw, the Predators had an excellent first three games and then the bodies almost literally fell off the table just a week after the team won the tournament in Lac La Biche for the third straight year.
“The guys showed plenty of character in making some comebacks in Lac La Biche and it seemed like no one could touch them, so that was encouraging,” stated head coach Chad LeMessurier.
And the Edson tournament started out much the same way, with the Predators getting passed some adversity and beating Fort McMurray’s Father Mecredi in three sets to open things up on Friday.
They followed that with victories over Devon an Fort McMurray Composite, but Saturday morning was a different story as they lost to Parkland Composite of Edson and were without their top setter and power hitter for the day.
That pitted them against Hilltop High of Whitecourt in the crossover quarterfinal, where EPC couldn’t overcome the lose of those two players.
“The holes forced players to play positions they weren’t accustomed to and we just weren’t able to make that up. It’s disappointing, but we have the time to iron out those wrinkles before zones,” he added.
And EPC will host the 10-team 3A zone playdown Nov. 14 and 15, knowing they can beat most of the competition that’s coming.
Action will start on the Friday at 2 p.m. at both EPC and WHPS gymnasiums, while playoff action on the Saturday will be strictly at EPC for a spot in the provincial championships the following weekend.
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