Lynx relegated to OFSAA consolation bracket
It was a tough start for the host Saint-Jean-de-Brébeuf Lynx Monday on the opening day of the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations senior girls volleyball A championship.
The eighth-seeded Lynx opened with a 2-0 (25-19 and 25-9) win over 14th-seeded Michener before falling 2-0 (25-23 and 25-23) to ninth-seeded University of Toronto School and 2-0 (25-13 and 25-12) to third-seeded De La Salle College.
“It was a little bit of Jekyll and Hyde,” Brébeuf coach Glen Beauregard said. “We had moments where we played the volleyball that we are able to play but other times we allowed the other team to control the tempo of the game, run their own offence and put us on our heels. Ultimately, we had hard time responding to that.”
It was a thrill for Beauregard to host OFSAA in his home gym.
“As a coach, for Nancy [Desjardins) and I, this is the second time we have been able to play on our home court for OFSAA and it is very special. We had a buyout this morning. It is nice to have the student population out and get a little bit of energy in the school.”
Unfortunately, there will be no storybook ending for the Lynx in 2023.
“With the second loss, we fall to consolation bracket, although, we will go there and try and make the best of it,” Beauregard said. “We expected to be on the medal side of things so it is disappointing but it is what it is. We will have to come back tomorrow and regroup and try to find ourselves on our home court for the consolation final.”
Leading the Lynx Monday as she has done all season was Grade 12 team captain Alexandra Roberge.
“She is our quiet leader who leads by example on the court. She is not one to rah rah but she is the girl everyone turns and looks too,” Beauregard said.
Roberge had adapted from her usual role to help out the Lynx.
“She is a setter on Team Ontario [Elite) but she accepted to play middle at the high school level for the benefit of her team due to a lack of depth,” he said. “She is a great kid and she will do anything you ask her to do. She exemplifies what you want out of a student/athlete.”
The 18-year-old Jordan Station resident, who will be training with Team Ontario in British Columbia over the March Break, has no issues playing middle for Brébeuf.
“It’s nice to get a feel for the different spots in the court. I am used to taking control and making all the decisions and stuff like that. Being in a different position, it is expanding my knowledge.”
Roberge is enjoying playing in OFSAA on her home court.
“It is so much fun and I love it. If we wouldn’t have hosted, we wouldn’t have made OFSAA, but by hosting we were able to get the eighth seed.”
The team got a charge playing in a buyout game earlier in the day.
“We haven’t had a volleyball buyout since before COVID so it was great.”
The loss to De La Salle was a tough one for Roberge and her teammates.
“Everyone was out of their groove and everyone seemed down so it wasn’t the greatest finish because we were hoping to be in the championship bracket and not the consolation.”
Roberge may or not be done with her volleyball career at Brébeuf. She is currently in the midst of the recruiting process.
“I am talking to a few schools and I haven’t committed yet. I am looking for this year or the class of 2024.”
Pool play continues Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m. at Brebeuf and Canada Games Park. The consolation quarter-finals will be held at both venues 4:30 p.m. followed by the championship quarter-finals at 6:30 p.m.
