First, they were first. Finally, they were second.
That was the shocking finish for the Vancouver Island University Mariners women's volleyball team at the CCAA championships, March 10-12 in Saint John, N.B.
Playing in the final, the Nanaimo-based Mariners were up 2-1 over the Mount Royal Cougars of Calgary and leading 24-20 in the fourth set 鈥� one point away from the gold medal.
Mariners' power hitter Lindsay McLoughlin struck a ball that appeared to hit a blocker's hand and go out of bounds. The referee initially indicated the Mariners had won the point, but after consulting with the lines woman awarded the point to the Cougars.
Given new life, the Cougars defeated the rattled Mariners 26-24 then took the fifth set 15-11. VIU head coach Shane Hyde said his team was shocked by the decision. "For the officials to reverse the call was a terrible decision," Hyde said. "All the coaches there couldn't believe what had happened."
Neither could power hitter Cheyla Reader of Comox, a first team all-star. "From where I was on the court I didn't think (the ball) went over the net. It ricocheted either off the blockers or the net and out. The lines woman called 'touch', meaning it was our point, and initially the ref agreed with her.
"Our team storms the court and is freaking out, just so excited. I'm looking at the ref and she hasn't made up her mind. I started shouting at everyone to get off the court because we haven't won yet."
Despite having four match points, the wind was out of the Mariners' sails. "We couldn't recover, and then we lost the fifth. It was awful."
Reader has no idea what made the ref overturn her original decision. "If she didn't know she shouldn't have pointed to a side. She should not have made the call, then consulted and made a decision. Or she should have just stuck with the call, or called a re-serve," said Reader, adding there are no protests or instant replays in volleyball. And a referee seldom reverses a call, she noted with a trace of irony.
"In the end our coach was really proud of us. Our goal from the first of the year was to win (nationals), and we were right there. What can you do? You lay it all out on the court and the other team comes out on top."
The fourth seeded Mariners opened with a convincing 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-16) win over fifth seed Grande Prairie. "We came out ready to go and handled them," Reader said. That set up a semifinal meeting with the M's B.C. rival, UBC Okanagan Heat, who had beaten then in a five-set marathon in the BCCAA championship.
VIU had trouble getting untracked and dropped the first two sets 17-25, 17-25 against the defending national champs. Then came the turning point when Hyde made a lineup change, moving left-side power Reader to the right side and inserting Sanda Babic in at power to give the M's a different look.
The move worked as Babic's enthusiasm sparked the Mariners to an unlikely comeback 鈥� taking the third set 26-24 then winning 25-20 and 15-11. Moving to the right side meant Reader got to block UBC's go-to hitters, which she did so well (finishing with nine blocks, six digs and 11 kills) she earned Player of the Game for the Mariners. "That was personally very satisfying," Reader said of her work at the net.
The M's won the first set of the finals 25-23 over third seed, and in the second set Reader had to look deep to step up her game. "I realized I was playing scared, it was the national final and I'd never been in that position before. I didn't want to finish my career like this, I wanted to go for it. I was able to make a mental shift and turn it on. It was awesome. It felt so good to make that transition and take my game up a notch."
VIU lost the second set 20-25 and pounded the Cougars 25-12 in the third. They were in control of the fourth set and one point away from victory when "The Call' changed it all.
"We were saying that we finished first and second (in Canada) in the same night," quipped Reader, who, despite being denied gold, enjoyed her season "with a great group of girls."
With her collegiate career capped by an appearance at the highest level, Reader is considering her options for next year. She is glad that the demands of competitive volleyball are behind her, and is considering being an assistant coach at VIU next season.
However, her heart is in the Valley, and if she stays here she definitely intends to coach and pass on what she has learned, especially in this last year. "I coached at Isfeld last year and loved it," she said.
SIDE OUTS McLoughlin (Campbell River) was also named to the first all-star team ... middle Heather Huxham (G.P. Vanier) of Courtenay did not make the trip due to illness ... it was VIU's fifth silver medal at nationals; they won gold in 2007-08 and also have four bronze medals ... VIU hosts the women's volleyball nationals next year ...
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