Peacock Girls Advance In A Nail Biter

Photos and Story By Robert Thomas

It took five hard fought games for the Peacock Toilers to defeat the Vanier Spirits and advance to the City high school senior girls championships on Thursday evening.

The underdog Spirits were no pushovers and literally took the Toilers to the wire and recording what for many would have been an upset.

Peacock would win the best of five three games to two.

The scores were: Game One Peacock 25 - Vanier 23, Game Two Vanier 25 - Peacock 17, Game Three Peacock 25 - Vanier 22, Game Four Vanier 25 - Peacock 19 and in Game Five the Tiebreaker Peacock 15 - Vanier 13.

“That was crazy. That was like the old days. We have had battles against Central (Collegiate) like this and Vanier (Collegiate) has improved so much this year. There is no way they should be forth. It should be one and two but you know it is girls volleyball it just worked out as it worked out,” Peacock Toilers head coach Lorne Polupski said in the post game media scrum.

**Going Vertical** - A Vanier Spirits player jumps into the air to spike the ball against the Peacock Toilers - MJ Independent photo

**The Miss** - A Vanier Spirits player reacts to missing returning a spike which led to the Peacock Toilers scoring an all important point - MJ Independent photo

Polupski said the match could have went either way and it was a great night for all involved.

“They played amazing. Either team could have won that tonight. You know I give kudos to the Thunder Creek Volleyball Club because if you look at that side and you look at this side we both have four or five players on that and some are playing club in Regina. The volleyball was awesome tonight nobody loses on a night like this,” he said.

“It was awesome.”

**Reaching For The Ball** - A Peacock Toilers player attempts to return the ball that was spiked between herself and a teammate - MJ Independent photo

**Pep Talk** - Vanier Spirits head coach Kelvin Turberfield talks to his players during a time out called by the Peacock Toilers

Asked if he was expecting the matchup against Vanier to be a tough one Polupski said what happened was exactly what he had expected.

“I knew they were going to battle. I knew it was going to be a good match for sure. They have improved so much and we have always had close games. So I wasn’t expecting anything different.”

Polupski was asked if he was ever worried during the match.

“Yeah all of the time. When I am down I am always worrying. But you know what I would have been happy if they would have won too because a lot of those girls play club and that is what it is all about,” he said, adding “we are a community that supports everybody. You know we cheer for everybody.”

**School Spirit** - A Peacock Collegiate student sports makeup as a way of support the Toilers squad - MJ Independent photo

**Setting The Ball Over The Opposition** - A Peacock Toiler player sets the ball over top of two Vanier Spirits defenders who put up a wall against a potential spike - MJ Independent photo

“They made some great hits in there. I talked a couple of those girls afterwards it was awesome. They played awesome. They played awesome we just got the better deal at the end.”

In what could be described as an exciting matchup that was good for the fans Polupski said it was a matchup good for everyone - fans, players, coaches and the city at large.

“It was great for everyone. It was great for Moose Jaw. It is just five bucks to get in here. You don’t find better entertainment than what you saw tonight,” he said.

Polupski said the regular season matchups against Vanier was something he had in the back of his mind as the Spirits had lost matches but won games from the Toilers. There were no sweeps to be had.

“We knew what they could do and we prepared for the best teams all of the time in the province so we just have to play our game. We are not worried about anyone else.”

**Digging For It** - A Vanier Spirits player goes down on one knee to bump a spike headed for a point - MJ Independent photo

Asked about the importance of having tough matchups to show the Toilers can stand up to pressure Polupski said the team had stood up to pressure and done well all season.

“We have been under pressure before. We have been top four or five most of the tournaments we have been to we have been under pressure. We had two really great matches at our home tournament against Balgonie they are probably number three in the province. We are hopefully going to win city’s (championship) is one of our goals. We are also trying to place top three in regionals and then we have got our work cut out for us.”

Regarding the city championship final being a barn burner he said he expected it to be given the parity between the top four teams.

“I don’t know who we are going to play, but you know what the four teams could have been here. I don’t know who is winning over there but any of those four teams we have been so close all year that anybody can be in that final.”

**The Tip** - A Peacock Toilers player reaches up and tips the ball over top of an opponent - MJ Independent photo

**Rushing For It** - A Toiler attempts to recover from a well set ball - MJ Independent photo

Polupski said he was proud withy how the Toilers played.

“I am just proud of our troops how they played. They were down a few times, they could have folded but nope our grade twelves (12’s) worked their butts off and they came back and showed great leadership. Each of the girls were out there (playing hard) and everybody that is on the bench. We’re a team. We work together and we are always very supportive. I have two amazing coaches with me. Without them making some decisions tonight you know I am 80 years old and I might have screwed something up,” he said.

**On The Tip Of The Hand** - A Peacock Toilers player jumps and tries to gently tip the ball just out of her opponent’s reach - MJ Independent photo

**Setting The Ball Over Your Opponent** - A Peacock Toiler jumps in an attempt to out maneuver her Vanier Spirits opponent - MJ Independent photo

Vanier Spirits head coach Kelvin Turberfield agreed with the Toilers’ Polupski that either team could have ended up winning and advancing to the city final.

“Goodness I tell you that is volleyball at its finest. That is a heck of a semi-final match and I think both of those teams are deserving to be pushing on into the finals. And I think overall it was just a great display of volleyball,” Turberfield said.

Asked about the feeling some had that Vanier’s chances of winning were not the best he said being the underdog has its advantages.

“We played Peacock really tight all season and that includes our tournament games that we matched up with them and it has been very, very close. So we knew we were going to be in for a dog fight so to speak,” he said.

The Spirits had a good idea on how to line up against the Toilers and took advantage of that.

“We knew we had some reads on their defence and things we wanted to try. Adjusted our defense accordingly to. You know what it is a game of volleyball and I think it could have gone anybody’s way tonight.”

**Cool And The Gang Worthy Celebration** - The Vanier Spirts celebrate scoring a hard fought point against the Peacock Toilers - MJ Independent photo

**Successful Bump** - A Vanier Spirits player bumps the ball - MJ Independent photo

Asked to comment on Coach Polupski saying the quality of play was good for everyone Coach Turberfield agreed.

After coming out of restrictions and everybody building up that tolerance to be back and doing what we are doing here that is what you want to see,” he said, adding “and our younger girls who are on the bench who get to experience that I hope that leaves them hungry,” he said.

**Running Reach** - A Vanier Spirits player runs to catch up to a spike - MJ Independent photo

**At The Net** - A Peacock Toilers player bumps the ball right at the net in an attempt to save a point being scored against her team - MJ Independent photo

Despite being knocked out of the race for the city championship Turberfield said the team’s season is not over and they will be preparing for their run in the regional high school senior girls volleyball championships.

“Our season is not over we will be preparing for regionals. We turn our focus now on provincials and we now use that momentum that we have going into regional play and hopefully after that into provincial play.”

**The Lunge** - A Peacock Toilers player lunges in an unsuccessful effort to stop a spike by the Vanier Spirits from scoring a point

**The Dive** - A Peacock Toilers lunge turned into a dive and a failed attempt to prevent a point from being scored - MJ Independent photo

Asked about how well the Spirits did given how some felt they had no chance to defeat Peacock Turberfield said such feelings actually help the team.

“You know it is nice to be the underdog every once and awhile. It is nice to see that (some) people have counted us out a little bit too soon. It is really easy to motivate your athletes when people are ruling them out so quickly.”

**Setting Up A Spike** - A Vanier Spirits player sets up a spike for her teammates - MJ Independent photo

**Eyeing Up The Ball** - A Vanier Spirits player watches as the ball is just tipped outside of her reach - MJ Independent photo

**Coin Toss** - The head referee (center) tosses a coin to determine who would serve first in the final game - MJ Independent photo

“We know what we have and we have a great group of girls out there. Some great athleticism from all 13 that we carry this year and I am very proud of them overall.”

The 4A senior girls regional championships will be held in Lumsden on November 11th. Provincials are the weekend of November 19th and November 20th.

**Hug At The End Of The Hard Fought Match** - A Peacock Toilers player (left) hugs a Vanier Spirts player at the end of the hard fought match - MJ Independent photo

**Bump** - A Vanier Spirits player bumps a tipped shot - MJ Independent photo

As of publication time it is unknown who will advance to face the Peacock Toilers in the city finals.

The regular season number two team the Briercrest Christian Academy Cougars faced the regular season third placed team the Central Cyclones in Caronport on Thursday evening.