Team unity and support keys to Trident’s volleyball success

Photo credit: Julie Maree Photography

 Team unity and strong courtside support were to two factors that carried Trident High School’s Senior A Girls volleyball team to the NZSS title win in Palmerston North last Friday.

Captain Courtney McConkey explained how both helped Trident’s team overcome a strong field to be the best team in New Zealand in 2017.

“Five of us have been playing together since 2014 and we won the Junior North Islands that year together, and other players that have joined us since then have all fitted in well, we’re really close-knit and that helped us win some tight games, “ Courtney enthused.

“We also got a big boost from our supporters. We were surprised that so many came down from Whakatane to Palmerston North to cheer us on, plus some of the other Bay of Plenty schools got in behind us in the final against New Plymouth Girls’ High School. Seeing so many people dressed up in Trident colours really lifted us.”

After beating them in the first game of the tournament earlier in the week, Trident beat New Plymouth GHS 3-1 in the final, but it was much closer than that. Trident won the first set 25-17, but New Plymouth came back to draw level by taking the second set 25-23. Trident took the third set 25-16 and then held off a spirited Taranaki challenge to win the fourth 25-22.

“When that final whistle blew and we knew we had won it was a huge relief for us all, “Courtney said of Trident’s maiden NZSS Senior Volleyball victory.

She explained how tight their penultimate match was. “Our semi-final win over Burnside High School was more intense than our final. Burnside were the two-time defending champions and they hadn’t been defeated all year in winning the South Island tournament and hadn’t dropped a set prior to getting to nationals.”

Trident found themselves down 0-1 (23-25). “We were behind but we just kept fighting and growing together and pushing, and they stayed the same and started dropping off.” Trident won the second set 25-19, the third 25-22 and the fourth 25-23.

“Our quarter-final match against Rangitoto College was also pretty close for us. In the fourth set we were down 18-23 but came back and won it.”  

Two Trident players made the Girls’ tournament team – Phoenix Paniora and Mana Kume. Year 12 Phoenix was the Tournament MVP.

Overall the team played and won nine games in five days, winning their matches by a combined 27 sets to six. The Girls tournament featured 97 teams, with games running all week from 8.00am to as late as 11.30pm at night.  

There’s no resting on their laurels for Trident’s winning volleyballers, with inter-provincial team U17 and U20 team trials coming up this weekend and many players hoping to make these squads. Members of the team also play other sports, such as netball and football in the winter and then Touch in the summer.

Of note, both Trident High School and Manurewa High School were the respective Girls and Boys Junior North Island tournament winners in 2014 and both went on to win the Senior titles in 2017.
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Trident High School’s results:
Pool 1 
Defeated New Plymouth 3 sets to 1
Defeated Otumoetai College  in 3 straight sets
Defeated Marlborough Girls’ College 3 sets to 1

Pool 2 
Defeated Matamata College in 3 straight sets
Defeated St Mary’s College 3 sets to 1
Defeated Manurewa High School in 3 straight sets

Quarter-final
Defeated Rangitoto College 3 sets to 1

Semi-final
Defeated Burnside High School 3 sets to 1

Final
Defeated New Plymouth Girls’ High School 3 sets to 1

The Trident High School team was:
*Courtney McConkey (captain), On Court Captain: *Mana Kume (on court captain), *Haley Wiremu, *Sharnaye Hall, *Phoenix Paniora, Maddisen Atkinson, Khiarna Williams, Alana McConkey, Tayla Hudson, Kilani Ruri (* five players that also won the North Island Junior title in 2014).
Management: Coach Hemi Barsdell, Ass Coach Sheralee Mills- Paniora, Ass Coach Maia Westrupp, Manager Sandie Barsdell - Graham Walker has also been instrumental in these girls success having coached the girls for many years.

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