The CVC Canaries opened the 2009 season on January 18, 2009 with a trip to the NVVA Third Degree Invitational in Vienna, Virginia.
The Canaries opened with a 24-26, 25-17, 13-15 loss to the NVVA Loudoun Blaze. The highly competitive match featured very good serving and volleying throughout. Casey Stencil paced the Canaries offense in the first set with two (2) aces. Ariona Rodriguez and Kelly Suhrcke also recorded aces. The Canaries led the first set 24-18 before the Blaze ran off an 8-0 run to win. The second set saw Gabrela Castro-Rodriguez led the way with six (6) aces. During Rodriguez’s service run, the Canaries took control of an 18-17 to win 25-17. Jennifer Mandl (1 ace) also provided offense in the comeback. In the final set the Canaries rallied from a 13-7 deficit only to fall 15-13. The final set was full of quality volleyball and the decision could have gone either way. Meagan Hitesman paced the front row with one (1) kill and the defense was paced by Catie Chervenak and Meghan Kelley.
In the Canaries second match they faced the NVVA Fairfax Shockers. The Canaries won the hard fought match in three sets 23-25, 25-13, 15-4. The first game went back and forth with neither team leading by more than two points. The Canaries received strong serving from Elizabeth Berg (2 aces), Carly Smith (1 ace) and Casey Stencil (1 ace). The Canaries bounced back in the second set and won 25-13. Serving and all-around fine play from Castro-Rodriguez (7 aces), Hitesman (1 kill), and Meghan Kelly (1 assist) paced the offense. Jahaira Ipanaque and Caroline Tussing played well defensively in the set. The third set was dominated by the Canaries serving. Castro-Rodriguez (5), Rodriguez (2) and Smith (1) all recorded aces. With the win, the team evened its record at 1-1.
The third match saw the Canaries face the NVVA Loudoun Blackout. The Blackout jumped out to early leads in both sets held off the Canaries 11-25 and 14-25. This match left the Canaries with a 1-2 record and a third place finish in their pool.
Coach Christine Brewer was pleased with her team’s effort. She added, "This was a strong start for the Canaries' season. The girls played with confidence and communicated well on the court. They faced some tough competition, but maintained their focus. Their team spirit and encouragement made them stand out from other teams. We are very proud of their performance and are looking forward to what's next!"
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