Sabres host Kainai for epic Westwinds Girls volleyball barnburner

2014 Kainai Girls Volleyball Team
C. Davis photos/videos

Chris Davis

Lundbreck's Livingstone JV and SV Sabres Girls volleyball team hosted their Kainai counterparts at Livingstone School on Monday evening October 20.  There were few onlookers in attendance, an unfortunate fact given the incredible Senior Varsity game that ensued.

Up first were the JV sets, which the Sabres won by a considerable margin, not a surprise given the strength and experience of the Livingstone team, which is also the Senior Varsity team, and therefore has been challenged constantly to persevere against older and more experienced teams.  

The Senior Varsity (SV) sets were marvellous, all five of them, but the first one was the real corker of the evening.  Indeed, it was one of the most thrilling volleyball sets I've seen during four seasons of covering the sport in this area.  You couldn't ask for more equally matched teams.  Kainai kick-started an improved High School sports program a few years back, and this year's seniors  are living proof that the effort has paid off, in terms of skills and sportsmanship. The Sabres have improved rapidly during the short volleyball season, and were firing on all cylinders for most of the evening.  

That first SV set!  Tied at least 13 times, separated by a point for most of it, lots of good volleys, some great volleys, both teams 100% into it, and every single play an important one... the set went on and on, getting more exciting all the time, neither team able to achieve that important 2 point win until finally Kainai emerged victorious 36-34. Major wow factor.

At one point in the first set the Sabres were ahead 20-16 at one point but Kainai closed the gap.  In the second set, the Sabres were again ahead 20-16, and this time Kainai didn't quite close the gap, resulting in a 25-19 win for the Sabres.  The third set in the best of 5 also featured multiple instances of a tied score, but once again the Sabres prevailed to win it 25-21, putting Kainai into a do-or-die situation for the fourth set.  It was much like the second set, only in reverse, Kainai winning it 25-19.  That forced a 15 point fifth and deciding set, which was again tied several times.  The Sabres pulled off a 15-13 win to take the day.

High School volleyball can be dull if the participants aren't into it.  On evenings like this when both teams are hungry for a win and determined to make every moment count it can be incredibly competitive and entertaining to watch.  Both of these teams acquitted themselves remarkably.  

SV Sets

36-34 Kainai

25-19 Sabres

25-21 Sabres

25-19 Kainai

15-13 Sabres

In total, 114 points for Kainai and 118 for the Sabres.  After five sets these two remarkable teams were only four points apart.

The Livingstone Sabres have a home game scheduled against Lethbridge on Monday October 27, to start at 6:00 pm.