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20-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, March 16, 2004 P slebtanc@haltonsearch.com G;oodearle denied national medal But Milton v-baller delivers dynamite effrt for Humber By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion TORONTO - It wasn't exactly the finish Kirsty Goodearle had hoped for. With national bronze on the line against Calgary's Mount Royal Cougars Saturday eveming, the local voilcyball acc and hier host Humber Hawks just couldn't equal the performances tbat got them to, the battie tor third. 'Me resuit was a ratber humbling 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-13) wbitewash. Humber looked poised to, tie things up in the second game, but simply couldn't bang on to its early lead. Tbe beartbreaking loss essentially sealed tbe Hawks' fate. 1I tbink we could bave played a bit better tonigbt, but tben placing fourtb in tbe coun- try is pretty good." said Goodearle. a grad- uating aIl-star miùddle witb the provincial champs. The 22-year-old Miltonian certainly did- n't bave to put a positive spin on ber indi- vidual performance. An easy pick for ftrst- tearn all-star status at tbe tbree-day nation- al touenament, sbe stood out in ail four matcb-ups and was by far Humber's best overali performer. Her best efforts were reserved for Friday nigbt, wben sbe almost single-bandedly forced number one seed and eventual cbampion Sherbrooke of Quebec to, a do- or-die semnifinal tie-breaker. Down two games to none following stralgbt 25-12 defeats, Goodearle and comn- pany could bave easily packed it in. Instead, tbe Hawks fortified their efforts - witb tbeir Milton comneratone providing thse fuel - and refused to, sinply roll over for tbe powerbouse Volontaires. Humber Hawk standout KlriW Goodeaiirle goea up for a blockt aganat Shrbrooke Volontaires Inabelle Theroux during a splrlt.d semfilnal showdown Friday nlght. Humber railled fromi a 2-0 defici to1 force the tie-breaker, but wound Up Ioeing 15-7. Photo by GRAHAM PAINE "It's like she went out and said 'Get on my back and l'i take you to the fifth game'. She was just phenomenal out there."1 NUIUN COACH Cifm WNlld Consecutive 25-23 victories pusbed tbe matcb to ils limit before Sherbrooke regrouped and took tbe winner-takes-all ftfth set 15-7. Amassing 18 kilîs and a wbole mess of playmaking bighligbts during tbe last tbree games. Goodearle admits it was somne of tbe best volîcybali of ber college career - but downplayed bier individual contribu- tion to tbe epic corneback bid. Coach thrilled with effort However Humber bead coacb Cbris Wiilkins bad no intention of doing an wben asked about bis Milton star's performance, stating, 'It's like sbe went out and said '(Jet on my back and lIlI take you to tbe fmftb gaine'. Sbe was just phenomena out tbere. She's our go-to leader on tbe court and inm not sure we can ever replace ber." Following Friday nigbt's semnifinal marathon, Humber swept its provincial rival Durbam Lords Saturday aftemnoon in a ratlier decisive rematcb from last montb's Ontario finals. 'be Hawks kicked off tbe nationais witb a 3-2 squeaker over Montreal's Bois De Boulogne Cavaliers Thursday nigbt. Wbile genting to tbe bronze-medal gaine and not winning il was a binter pili to swal- low, finisbing fourtb was far from a disap- pointmlent for tbe Hawks, wbo went into nationals ranked fsftb. And offering tbe stiffest challenge to Sberbrooke - wbo went on to sweep Britishs Columbia's Malaspina Mariner Athletics in finals - was no doubt a buge consolation. 'Yeab, I'd agree." said Goodearle. "We bad a few sbakes early against thein (Sherbrooke), but those last tbree ganses were amszing. 1 tbitsk we surprised a lot of people." Chemioapet gOCG Show off your preojous pet in the Canachan Champion's nmnth section of Champion Pet Showcase. If your pet is chosen as "Pet of the Month" you WIN a gift certificate from one of the participating vendors on the page. Send mn photos ta: 191 Main St. E. P.O. Box 248 Milton, ON L9T 4N9