Little Flower Academy is once again at the height of senior girls volleyball. Winning their second provincial title in five years, the Angels claimed the AAA B.C. Championship in straight sets over Vernon’s Seaton Sonics on Dec. 3 at Kelowna’s Okanagan Mission secondary.
“It was an amazing performance by my team,” said the Angels head coach Ross Ballard. “They were amazing.”
LFA only dropped one set through the three-day best-of-B.C. tournament, and that loss came at the hands of the Sonics in the opening round. They eventually won the deciding third set 17-15 after beating back two match points.
In 2012, the Angels dethroned the dominant Seaquam Seahawks.
Ranked third going in to the provincials this time around, the Angels peaked at the right time.
“Somehow my girls totally turned the switch for the playoffs. I have never seen them play with such energy and intensity and focus. This really allowed us to dominate every team we faced from the very first serve,” Ballard wrote in an email to the Courier. “The girls were relentless in their play and maintained maximal focus to keep the pressure on all of our opponents.”
Jessica Goodridge was named the tournament MVP and Kristie Mar the top libero. Jaclyn Miller was named a first-team all-star.
Read more: From 2013, LFA Angles' depth is their advantage
LFA sailed through the quarter- and semi-finals, holding the teams to limited points as the Angels won in straight sets. Impressed with the players, Ballard said their performance was “unbelievable.”
“It was so truly dominant and I was so impressed by how they approached the games and how they played,” he said.
They add the BC School Sports title to the BC Catholic Championship they won earlier in the season.
“Even though we had three all-stars, it truly was a team effort and any one of my team could had been selected,” said the coach.
