Northern Chill secures gold in Orillia

The Northern Chill U16 girls have reached the podium for a second straight time.

After securing bronze medals at the first OVA tournament action of the season last month in Brampton, the Chill climbed further up the echelon, capturing gold in Orillia on the Dec. 15-16 weekend.

The U16 ladies opened with a three-set win, taking down the Leaside Lightning 25-17, 22-25, 15-8, securing first place in pool play with an impressive 25-5, 25-17 triumph over the Toronto Diamonds, partially on the back of some unbelievable serving from Julia Lamarche.

With her team down 17-23 in the second set against the North Bay Lakers, Northern Chill veteran Kayla Wandziak reeled off eight straight points as the locals swept past their northern rivals 25-20, 25-23 in quarter-final action.

The team was now on a roll, taking the minimum number of sets in disposing of the Orillia Suns 25-15, 25-20 in one of two semifinals.

The Chill was not about to be denied as the one-two offensive-defensive punch of Alana Dugdale and Megan LaBrash helped to lead the Sudbury contingent to gold, upending the Titans STVC Revolution 25-14, 25-23.

The team now advances to McGregor Cup – Championship East play on Jan. 19 in Richmond Hill, hoping to make their way into the premier grouping in the province.

In addition to Lamarche, Wandziak, Dugdale and LaBrash, the U16 Chill roster also features Shayna Graham, Kathryn Webb, Amanda Rigg, Kaitlyn Gillis-McAnulty, Hanna Bird and Natalie Parisotto, as well coaches Joanna Castonguay and Kelsey Bastien.