Sweet, Glorious Augustana-Trouncing

For those of you who don't know, I am coaching volleyball at Taylor again this year. I will be coaching both men's and women's teams, which will be quite a challenge. I do have some help, but it still takes a lot of time (and I am beginning to realize that I am no longer 20...or in shape). This past Saturday we were challenged to an exhibition game by Augustana University College (now a satallite campus of the UofA). I presume they meant to scope us out to see what kind of challenge we will pose to them in the upcoming season, as we were not in the league last year and will be somewhat of a wildcard this year.

Also for those of you who don't know, Augustana is by far the best team in our league (at least the men's team is) and they are looking at moving up to ACAC (one very small step below CIAU: Red Deer College, King's, etc.) next year. Back in the day (when I was actually 20) we got soundly trounced by the men's team every time. I think in my career of 3 years we took one set off of them (thus our record would have been something like 0-7 in wins and 1-21 in sets...ouch). The women did not fair much better, with victory always just out off reach.

Well, all that came to an end on Saturday as our women's team, comprised of only 3 returning players, who had not played in this calibre of league for 2 years and having had two practices (barely enough to figure out positions and lineup), were pitted against a team of veterans, who have been playing together for years and had started practices over the summer. And we won! Maybe trouncing is too strong a word (winning 3-2), but we did dictate the match after the first set and played exceptionally well for this point in the season. You have no idea what this means to me. Even though it was a preseaon game, we beat Augustana(!) and look really, really good for the season.

How did the men fair, you ask. Well, let's just say that I did enough venting last post to last a bit!