Slow start

The St. Ignatius Falcons just couldn’t get their groove back.

The Falcons, the class of the Superior Secondary Schools Athletic Association varsity girls’ volleyball circuit, found the going a little tougher at the provincial level, dropping their first two games at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association’s AA championship being held this week in Thunder Bay.

St. Ignatius was swept aside by Stratford central Secondary School in their opener, falling 25-17 and 25-11.

The fared no better in their second match, dropping a straight-set loss to St. Mary’s Catholic Secondary School by a 25-21 and 25-17 count.

Meaghan Wojciechowski said the Falcons just didn’t have the proper focus.

“Our first game we were really, really energized and we were cheering loud. We did end up losing it, but we played really better than we just did,” Wojciechowski said.

“I think this game we weren’t playing as energized as we were. We weren’t calling the ball. We weren’t going for them. There was one point where their serves just kept coming over and we couldn’t get back into the zone and that’s what cost us the game.”

The youngster said the team is trying not to let the 0-2 start get them down, with two games left to go on their slate.

It’s disappointing, but win or lose, it’s about how they play.

“We’ve been through so much and we’ve been pushing and pushing and pushing,” she said. “Yes, we would like to (do better), but we gave it somewhat our all and hopefully in our next two games we do way better.”

That means making sure they call every ball and chase down every opportunity, Wojciechowski said.

“We just need to stay focused, I think. Because as soon as we mess up it just goes to our heads and we just can’t get back into that groove.”

St. Ignatius coach Bob O’Donohue said he’s not sure why his Falcons weren’t up to the challenge, especially against Stratford, a team he expected to beat.

“I have no idea. We have done it a few times this year where we’ve played very well at times and then occasionally we come out flat for whatever reason,” he said.

“Our service option has to be better and we have to play a little harder on defence.”

The Falcons weren’t the only local team to struggle on opening day. The St. Patrick Saints dropped a pair of decisions, losing 25-17 and 25-7 to Ecole Gisele Lalonde of Orleans and 25-7 and 25-15 to Ecole Secondaire Catholique L’Escale of Clarence-Rockland, Ont.

Dryden also started in an 0-2 hole, swept by both Oakville’s St. Thomas Aquinas and Ottawa’s College catholique Samuel-Genest.