Tigers Shine With Silver, TCS Takes 4th Place
Teams line up to shake hands and show sportsmanship after the game finished. “Of course we were disappointed after losing the finals, we began playing so strongly but after losing the second set something happened. ” Blair Violet Brimely, TCS libero, said.
TCS Middle School Girls Volleyball Teams won the silver medal, and took 4th place at Copa Columbus on May 12.
Due to the large number of girls participating in the tournament, the school divided the original team into two sub-teams: Tigers wich ended in second place and TCS wich ended in 4th place. Throughout the tournament both teams played a total of four games each.
“The separation of the teams was a really good decision and it gave some of the girls who haven’t been playing for as long an opportunity to play in a tournament I think everything was great,” Candelaria Villegas, captain for TCS, said.
The Tigers won two out of the four matches. One against San Jose De las Vegas (2-0) and the other which was the semi final against I.E Ignacio Botero Vallejo (2-1). The two other matches they lost including the final were against San Ignacio A and both of them Tigers lost 2-0.
“Copa Columbus was a really significant tournament in which I got the opportunity to get to know my teammates better and play with a different coach, despite getting second place I had a lot of fun,” Rebeca Mejia, Tigers hitter, said.
On the other hand, TCS team won only one out of the four matches: San Ignacio B (2-0) and the other matches lost against San Jose De Las Vegas (2-1), San Ignacio A (2-0) and again San Jose De Las Vegas (2-1).
“I think that me and my team did really good, and we enjoyed the tournament alot, but we still need to work on our mind game and start to learn how to channel our emotions in order to be able to no get scared when we play against bigger teams with older girls,” Villegas, said.
Originally the tournament was supposed to be conformed by I.E Ignacio Botero Vallejo, Marymount, TCS, Tigers, San Ignacio, and San Jose De Las Vegas but because of an internal problem, Marymount couldn’t assist, forcing San Ignacio to divide its original team into two.
“We weren’t planning on having two teams, but despite that it was a great opportunity for the younger and less experienced girls to have an opportunity to play in a tournament, in which they could get out of their comfort zone,” San Ignacio coach, said.
The plan was for Jiovanna Castañeda to lead both teams, but due to the problems of the tournament Anibal Betancourt HS male volleyball coach had to lead the Tigers team.
“Having Anibals support during the matches was different to what we were used to, nevertheless his support and pressure gave us a hand in each ball we played,” Mejia said.
