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SPORTS SPORTS EDITOR: STEVE LeBLANC email sleblanc@mltonanadianchamponl.comT Senior Spartans set to defend volleybal titie By Herb Garbutt METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUP The E.C. Drury Spartans nearly gave away a golden opportunity, but their coach was able to find a silver lining. The Spartans' demonstrated just how dominant they can be as they opened Friday's Halton senior girls volleyball semifinal with a 25-3 victory over the Acton Bearcats. But the young Spartans squad showed a bit of inexperience as well, allowing their season to teeter on the brink alter allowing Acton to take the second game 25-23. In the end, Drury prevailed by taking the deciding game 15- 6, allowing the Spartans to advance to Wednesday's final (game time is 5 p.m.) at Sheridan College in Oakville. And as scar-y as it was to see bis team's season on tbe line, Drury coach Kevin Houldcroft said there were some valuable les- sons in the semifinal victory that could belp them repeat as Halton cbampions. "That second game was good on two fronts. First, now tbey see wbat happens wben you take your foot off the pedal. You bave to focus on every point and know wbat you're going to do, especial- ly when you get deep in the play- offs," Houldcroft said. "Second, it sbows we bave character." The Spartans' opponent in the final, the undefeated St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders, will flot be as forgiving should Drury let its guard down. Not only are tbe Raiders a perfect il-o including playoffs, tbey have yet to drop a set this season and bave tbe added motivation of losing to Drury in last year's final. The Spartans will bave tbeir own motivation, thougb. Having won tbe consolation c.hampionship at last year's Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) tournament, they are ready to take a run at the big prize this time around. Friday's semifinal wasn't the only adversity the Spartans have faced this season. They came into the season having to over- come the losses of Torn McCutcheon, wbo earned a scholarsbip to the University of Central Florida, and Meg Rector, wbo was named to tbe Atlantic Untversity Sports (AUJS) all-rookie team at Acadia. Then mid-season Bri Rector was sidelined witb an ankle injury and for a time tbey were also without Tasba Brunner, wbo was away on a school trip. Rectot, the teamtus captattn, helped Defensa win the Ontario under-16 championship last year wh'ie Brunner suits up lor- tbe Georgetown Impact. In tbe absence of tbe team's two club players, Nicole Woods, wbo like the other two earned a starting role on tbe Spartans as a Grade 10 last year, stepped up to fill tbe void. Houlderoft said tbe absence of tbe other two allowed Woods to show bow far sbe bas come botb on and off tbe court. J ust as important to the Spartans success tbts season bas been tbe dedication of tbe new- comers from tbe junior team. After tbe junior squad went 1-9 last season, Houldcroft said the first-year seniors flot only met tbe bigber demands of playing at the senior level, they exceed- ed his expectations. Courtney Johnston (libeiro) and Andrea Stoskopf (middle) botb earned starttng jobs. "I preacb commitment and bard work and the players have to buy into that," Houlderoft said. "Courtney Johnston stays for hours after practice. Seeing bow mucb tbey have improved and how bard they have worked, I'm proud of them." Houldcroft said Rector's lead- ership bas also played an impor- tant t-oIe in tbe improvement of tbe younger players. For ber part, Rector said tbe team bas learned its lesson. "We weren't tbat consistent. We tbougbt we bad it in tbe bag,' sbe said. "Our passing and setting were tbere and we exe- cuted really well (in tbe first game), but we pulled tbrougb and we worked well togetber. We just bave to stay focused and keep a positive attitude." ST11L UNBEATEN: Milton District's Dria Mayers tips the bail past the out- stretched hands of Loyola's Laura Silva in last Wednesday's Halton junior girls volleyball semifinal. The undefeated Mustangs won 25-12, 25-18 ta advance ta tomorrow's Halton final where they will face the Assumption Crusaders. Mustangs advance to Late rally allows Cavs to clip MD in hoops semi Mihton District's basketball seniors are getting awful- ly familiar witb semifinal dlefeat, but certainly flot com- fortable witb it. For a fiftb straighb, year, the Mustangs were turned back in the last-remaining obstacle to Halton Tier 2 cbampionship play, getting eclipsed by the visiting King's Cbristian Cavaliers 73-70 Friday afternoon. MD took an eigbt-point lead into tbe final quarter and led witb a mere 9.5 seconds remaining. That's wben a Cavaliers tbree-pointer -- their nintb on tbe day - and two drained free tbrows crusbed the Mustangs' bid to break tbeir semifinal curse. Wbile leading for most of the second half, tbe hosts were clearly beaten on the boards and were a disappotnt- ing 3-for-l12 at the line through the first th-cc quarters. The fact thatt MD led by as mucb as il points and had beaten King's Cbristian earlier this montb madle tbe defeat aIl the more beartbreaktng. Ryan Brown gave the Mustangs tbree leads in thte final few minutes and finisbed witb a game-bigb 29 points, including 11 in tbe second quarter. Also hitting double dig- its were Marko Varaklic (13) and Brandon Adamson (10). Halton final By Steve LeBlanc CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF Next stop, Sheridan College. Determtned to match tbe unbeaten sea- son its maie counterparts turned in this past lall, Milton District's junior girls vol- ieyball team drew within a game of a per- fect 2010 Wednesday - stamping its tick- et to the Halton AAA championship. Weathering a few anxious moments in game two, the Mustangs delivered a25 2, 2~ 18 semuifinal sweecp ofI thRet ola Hawtks, wshod ta ken them to a third se t just one week earlier. Not wishing to temtpt fate with another tiebreaker, the Mustangs stepped things up after the Hawks evened the score twice and took an early lead in the second set. Their fortified efforts put them one win awsay Iront a secotnd straigbt regional title, havtng captured the .AA championship last year. 'We kept the intensity up today, that was the difference," said co-captatn Alysha C arusi, whbo had a half-dozen ktlls and directed- a fundanmentallv-sound attack. "We didn't get rattled (in game twvo). Coach (Dav e) Walker keeps telling us swhen we get pushed just to stay calm and play Mustangs volley ball." Powered by Carusi and fellow powser Ipandeep IKaur, MD's bitting and serving were simply too much for Loyola to contend with. Co-captain Dria Mayers got the Mustangs off to a big start in the second game with th-ce straight aces, while Renee Lacenaire had a btg kill to hait tbe Hawsks' uprising and put the semifinals away wvith a final ace, the I18tb overall for the victors on the day. Ten straigbt points propelled MD to a convitnctng first-set svictory, with three straight aces by Carusi and impressive net play from Rose Serafini bigblighting the lopsided game. Lacenaire led with fìve kills, while Car-usi and Kaur had four apiece. The Mustangs and Assumption Crusaders will battle for AAA supremacy tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Sheridan.