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Smashing Bananas win another provincial title

May 6, 2013 | 6:28 AM

The Prince Albert Smashing Bananas 15U men’s team made it three out of four male category provincial championships for their city this spring by winning this weekend’s 15U Gold Medal final. The Smashing Bananas defeated the Saskatoon Huskies 25-20, 25-17 in an exciting Conexus Provincial Volleyball Championship final , and join the 14U PAVC Smashing Bananas and 16U NSVC as tops in their age-class.

“Our team realized one of our season's goal in winning the 15U Men's Provincial Championship, though we had to battle real hard in our semi-final and final matches,” said 15U champion Smashing Bananas Head Coach Andrew Murray. “Our opposition's serving put a great deal of pressure on our serve receivers, and we had to hit the ball multiple times in many rallies because of great spike reception form our opponents.”

The Swift Current Junior Sundogs claimed Bronze by defeating the Edam Northwest Fury 25-17, 23-25, 15-12.

The Smashing Bananas came into the event seeded number two in the province just behind the Swift Current Junior Sundogs and one spot higher than the Saskatoon Huskies. The Smashing Bananas went undefeated in the preliminary round, winning Pool B including a close three set match against the Huskies. The Huskies placed second in Pool B, followed by Prince Albert Gaulois and Estevan South East Giants. The fifth-seeded Northwest Fury took top spot in Pool A, including two close three set matches against the Junior Sundogs and the Regina Volleyball Club (RVC) Gold, who placed second and third respectively in Pool A. The Yorkton McSweeney’s Selects took fourth place in Pool A to earn the other quarter-final spot.

The Smashing Bananas defeated Yorkton in a quarter-final, before taking out top-seed Swift Current in one of the semi-finals 25-19, 25-22. Like the Smashing Bananas, the Huskies faced stiff competition themselves in getting to the finals. The Saskatoon squad edged the RVC Gold in the quarters before begin pushed to three sets by Edam, setting up the Pool A rematch.

The Regina Cougars Volleyball Club 15U Women faced some stiff competition at this weekend’s 2013 Conexus Provincial Volleyball Championships. The Cougars, who came in seeded eighteenth in the province, went undefeated over weekend, including a 25-21, 25-19 victory over the Lumsden Rage in the Tier 1 Gold Medal match. The Weyburn 15U’s defeated the Prince Albert Optimist Toppers En Fuego 25-11, 25-14 to take Tier 1 Bronze.

dwilson@panow.com

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