There is always something to be said for hitting the road following a satisfying win, even if said victory does not come complete with some additional hardware to adorn the trophy-case back home.
That was the “glass half-full” approach that Northern Chill 16U Girls head coach Sheldon Root would use to describe his team's most recent tournament performance in Newmarket.
Competing at the Challenge Cup – Trillium White “C” tournament in mid-January, the Sudbury were right in the thick of things in dropping pool play contests to the REACH Apex from Markham (25-27, 16-25) and the Peel Selects from Brampton (25-27, 21-25).
The locals started to turn things around with a 25-21, 21-25, 15-8 triumph over the Collingwood Black Diamonds, rounding out the field of quarter-finalists, but could not hold on against the silver medal winning Durham Attack Power from Oshawa (23-25, 10-25).
Relegated to the 5th/7th place match-up, the Chill girls closed out the day with a 25-22, 25-18 victory to even the score with the Peel Selects.
“It was a day that I would consider bittersweet,” said coach Root. “The morning was met with some tough losses. Dropping the first set of each match by just two points means that we have the ability to play with these teams. Getting to end the tournament with a win against a team we had previously lost to allowed us to head back home with a degree of satisfaction.”
While the former Cambrian star suggested that this team features a hard-working crew, right across the entire lineup, he did make note of a couple of very promising signs on an individual basis.
“Isabelle Scratch had one of her best performances of the season,” said Root. “Her serving efficiency is improving, and her ability to draw attention from both her fellow teammates and opponents alike, on offense, is starting to materialize.
“Fyscher McQueen is getting more comfortable controlling the offensive aspects of the game,” Root added. “Recovering from an injury early in the season, she was able to come in and distribute the ball effectively, allowing for better opportunities to execute.”
Joining Scratch and McQueen with the 2018-2019 Northern Chill 16U crew are Maggy Davidson, Sydney Nicholls, Emily Ayotte, Julianna Toppazzini, Kyla-Sky Parsons, Hannah Nordquist, Faith Charbonneau, Josée Beauchamp and Danielle Stinson, along with head coach Sheldon Root and assistant coach Stacy Carter.
