The McRoberts Strikers junior girls volleyball team enjoyed another tremendous season led by head coach Raymond Juco.
Looking to repeat as city champions, the Strikers entered the city playoffs as the No. 2 seed with their only blemish being against its rival McMath.
The team quickly dispatched its quarter-final (Richmond Christian) and semi-final opponents (Burnett) in three sets to set the stage for a rematch of last year’s final with the Wildcats.
The Strikers took command early by taking the first two sets and cruised to win in four. The result not only made it back-to-back Richmond championship banners but a spot in the inaugural South Fraser Zone Championships as well.
Going up against schools from Surrey and Delta, the Strikers went 2-1 in round-robin play then got past Holy Cross in the quarter-finals. They closed out the championships with losses to Pacific Academy and Seaquam in the semi-final and bronze medal matches respectively. The fourth place finish also secured a berth in the junior provincials.
The outstanding play by the team’s captain, Catherine Yuen, earned her tournament all-star honours.
The Strikers capped of the season with a respectable top 20 finish at provincials, along the way beating Dawson Creek and the host school, Earl Marriott, led by team MVP Jessica Tang.
Coach Juco was extremely proud of the way the players competed and how they conducted themselves on and off the court.
The Strikers roster also features: Tamara Dee, Jade Juco, Kezia Kawamura, Yutaka Kojima, Kristy Kwok, Ashley Mori, Zahraa Rehmtulla, Paige Sever, Angie Sun and Amelia Vegt. The coaching staff is rounded out by assistants Elizabeth Juco and Willy Billedo.
