Facing elimination and trailing late in the deciding set, the Thunder Creek Volleyball Club (TCVC) 17U team found itself on the verge of seeing its season come to an early end.

Instead, the group delivered the biggest comeback of its year.

TCVC erased deficits of 10-5 and 13-9 in the third set of its semifinal at the May 15 to 17 Volleyball Canada National Championships in Calgary, rallying for a dramatic 15-13 win before carrying that momentum into a straight-set gold-medal victory over Alberta.

Coach Lorne Polupski said the semifinal rally still feels difficult to believe.

“I still can’t believe we won that semi-final. Down 10-5 and 13-9 against such a strong team … crazy comeback,” he said.

“One of the dads made reference to us being like The Bad News Bears,” he continued. “It was a team that everyone underestimated and somehow they pulled it off in the end. That is this group of girls. They never give up. I think a big part of that is the chemistry on this team and the belief they have in each other.”

The finish capped a tournament run that began with a difficult opening day.

Thunder Creek opened Nationals with a 1-3 record after a tightly contested first day in which every match went the distance. Despite the results, Polupski said there was little concern among the coaching staff.

“I wasn’t disappointed with our start. We played really well and were up against tough competition,” he said. “(I think we were) maybe a little nervous to be at Nationals in a venue that had 250 teams playing. Our goal was to come back relaxed now that we’ve been there, and play a little better than the day before.”

Thunder Creek found its rhythm on day two, winning its first two matches before narrowly dropping another three-set battle in the finale. The effort still secured first place in its pool and a stronger playoff position entering elimination play.

After surviving yet another three-set battle in its opening playoff match, TCVC advanced to a semifinal showdown against a talented Ontario squad with gold on the line.

Thunder Creek won the opening set 27-25 before Ontario answered with a 30-28 victory, setting up a deciding third set that appeared to be slipping away.

Players said there was never a sense of panic on the court.

“Our team knew what we needed to do to push past our mistakes, and we all pulled through as players and as a team,” said Paityn Dempster. “I think the support we had for each other played a huge part in (helping us) get out of our heads and just play volleyball.”

Isabella Flanagan said the team’s energy played a major role throughout the season.

“I feel like everyone has been great at lifting each other up,” she said. “Especially during the tough semifinal, we were all just having fun and celebrating each other. The win was a result of that, and of our hard work fighting for every point.”

The momentum carried into the gold medal match, where Thunder Creek defeated Alberta in straight sets to complete a run that saw the team climb 19 spots from its original seeding.

“The chemistry on this team was incredible,” Polupski said. “They really love the game … and their joy is contagious.”

TCVC 17U roster: Annyssa Davis, Elizabeth Beckman, Hailey Roney, Hailey Venn, Harlow Ryba, Isabelle Yasinski, Isabella Flanagan, Jessie Koch, Katelyn Venne, Paityn Dempster, and Shyanne Greenwood-Gadd. Coaches included Lorne Polupski, Jillian Polupski, and Jay Smith.

Aaron Walker

Reporter

Moose Jaw Express