The Trinity Western Spartans were in the very familiar position of being down two sets to none.
This was the third time in the past four matches the women’s volleyball team faced an 0-2 deficit in the best-of-five match.
“It is almost like we have taken a little bit to figure things out, figure our opponent out, let our block do the work, and then just keep on storming,” said Trinity Western coach Ryan Hofer.
The Spartans were in an 0-2 hole against the Alberta Pandas in the CIS gold-medal match on Sunday at Toronto’s Goldring Centre.
The Spartans would win the final three matches by scores of 25-15, 25-15 and 15-11 to claim the program’s first-ever CIS title.
“It is still a little bit surreal,” Hofer said, adding that he can’t believe just how much effort and energy it took to do this.
“I have a new respect for anyone who has done it before me.”
The Spartans also faced an 0-2 hole the week before against Alberta in the Canada West final, and then again in the CIS national championship quarter-finals against Laval.
Trinity Western won 3-0 in the national semifinals over Montreal.
But after winning six straight sets, the Spartans lost 25-22 and 25-23 to Alberta in Sunday’s final.
Hofer said he really didn’t have to say anything to his team before the third set.
“They took care of a lot of the things themselves. They were just inspiring each other with what they needed to say about not giving up,” he said.
“These girls refuse to tide. They just never give up and they had so many chances to give up and they just said no, not today.
“The biggest thing I had to say to them was keep banging. Be risky, be aggressive with their serve and be aggressive with attacking the ball.”
Setter Nikki Cornwall tallied 53 assists and had a team-high 20 digs in the final as she was named the championship MVP.
“Being down the first two sets, I knew we could come back and it was just a matter of finding that fire within us,” she said.
“We were able to keep fighting through all five sets, whereas other teams, I don’t think would be able to do that as well as we did.”
Elizabeth Wendel led the Spartans with 21.5 points (16 kills, three aces and 2.5 blocks) in the gold-medal match while Royal Richardson had 16 kills, 11 digs and two blocks. Sophie Carpentier added 15 kills, 10 digs and 2.5 blocks and Alicia Perrin notched 11 kills and seven digs.
Cornwall, Wendel and Perrin all earned tournament all-star honours.
The Spartans were a senior-heavy team with six fifth-year players, and Hofer said it was great to see them go out on top.
“They have worked really hard this year and are reaping the rewards of everything they have put in,” he said.
“It is a rich and rewarding feeling. These girls are going out after five long years of gunning for it every single year, and not quite getting it, and at last grabbing it.”
This was the program’s fifth straight appearance at the CIS championships and their previous bests were a pair of bronze medals in both 2011 and 2013.
Prior to the tournament, Perrin was named a CIS first team all-Canadian.
