Locals serve up competition in beach volleyball tourney

A weekend beach volleyball tournament at Moonlight Beach might have been the ninth stop on the Ontario Volleyball Association circuit of beach tournaments this summer, but it represents the one and only visit to Sudbury.

Taking full advantage, a large contingent of local players representing both the Sudbury Staxx and the Northern Chill took part, adding to their point totals with provincials just around the corner.

For a second straight year, the northern Ontario event also drew a handful of out-of-town teams, enjoying some of the uniqueness of the Sudbury competition. A member of the Durham Region Volleyball Club, Kristen Bond travelled north to compete in the U18 division with partner Kersti Sorra, combining a competitive reality with practical pleasure.

“(Kersti)'s cottage is here, and we need more points for provincials, so we decided to do an extra tournament,” said Bond.

The 16-year-old is in her sixth year of beach volleyball competition, quite the norm for the DRVC crew which tends to compete most often at either Cobourg Beach or Ashbridges Bay in Toronto.

“Our whole (indoor) team pretty much plays, except for two,” said Bond.

Yet like most who transition from a winter on the court to the summer outdoor game, Bond is quick to note that success in one does not necessarily lead to the same in the other.

“There's more court space for beach, so it's harder to cover," she said. “You just have to move faster.”

With only two teammates versus six for the gymnasium-based option, beach volleyball can prove challenging to some.

Apparently, Bond and Sorra made the necessary adjustments, finishing Saturday's competition in first place, with Indigo Clement and Manon Duhaime in second.

Beyond the positive results, the visitor from Oshawa enjoyed pretty much all facets of her visit to Sudbury.

“It's just windier here, because we don't get a lot of wind down there,” she said. “But I like that it's quiet and there's not as many people.”

With five less years of beach volleyball experience than Bond, Grade 11 St. Charles College student Julia Lamarche is just getting her feet wet with the summer alternative.

A middle at both the high school and club level, Lamarche might well have the most difficult time adapting from her role on the hardcourt.

“I'm not used to passing, so that's new,” Lamarche noted.

“There's only two of you here — it's harder than it looks.”

While Lamarche and partner, Katherine Webb, were bunched in with a group in the middle of the U16 pack, the benefits derived from the experience would be hard to deny.

“I think that my passing will be improved and that I'll have more stamina,” she said.

And with only one other teammate to rely on, maintaining good chemistry becomes critical.

“We had some moments when we would get down. We tried to focus on serve receive, talking, remaining positive — we just get frazzled some time.”

The local entry of Brittany Reinhardt and Stacey Gregorini duplicated their Sudbury victory of one year ago, defending the U16 crown.

Toronto siblings Erica and Christine Vizl garnered a second-place finish, despite playing up, with Erica Thibault and Taylor Wilkinson finishing third.

Dropping back into their natural U14 age grouping on Sunday after challenging themselves with U18 competition on Saturday, Annette Kowara and H. Rider claimed first place, with B/J Looije next in line.

Following are complete team point totals from the weekend tournament:

14U Female
A. Kowara/H. Rider – 400
B. Looije/J. Looije – 375
N. Soenens/T. Wilkinson – 350
D. Luna/A. Luna – 350
T. Gleason/B. Allerston – 310
M. Beeson/T. Langis – 310
M. Beeson/N. Gervais – 310
K. Murray/K. Hancharyk – 310

16U Female
B. Reinhardt/S. Gregorini – 600
E. Vizl/C. Vizl – 575
E. Thibault/T. Wilkinson – 550
S. Santi/S. Abresch – 550
J. Tubin/G. Huneault – 510
K. Webb/J. Lamarche – 510
H. Bird/A. Dugdale – 510
T. Milks/J. Kinna – 510
N. Soenens/L. Davidson – 430
A. Randall/R. Gough – 430
K. Sherrington/B. Bown-Downie – 430
K. Downie/J. Patrick – 430

18U Female
K. Bond/K. Sorra – 700
I. Clement/M. Duhaime – 675
H. Rider/A. Kowara – 650
J. Arnds/J. Henriksen – 650
J. Vallier/E. Sanders - 610