Persistence Pays off for Royals

The Lady Royals Volleyball team played host to 11 other teams for the Sleep Inn Slamfest this past weekend. They would play four games in two days on Friday, October 19th and Saturday, October 20th. 

Persistence is the continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. That would describe the Royals weekend at the Sleep Inn Slamfest, they would face difficult opposition including a team that had defeated them earlier in the season in Northland, the number one team in NJCAA Division III in Central Lakes, a team that had pushed them to five sets in Canadian Mennonite and a team that had just beat them the weekend before in Providence. Despite what could be perceived as a negative, the Royals spun it and made it a positive. 

If you sat and watched any of the Royals matches during the weekend, easy would not be the word you would describe. No matter the difficulties throughout any of the games, the Royals persisted. In match one they would find themselves in an early hole down 2-1 to Northland. However, they would dig deep and found a way to pull off the comeback winning set four and set five to take the match 3-2 against Northland.

Despte trailing at multiple points throughout the match with Canadian Mennonite, LRSC would continue to grind out short runs to make the comeback and win. They would win set one, lose set two and then rally to win set three and four to win the match against CMU 3-1.

On Saturday morning, the Royals would take on Central Lakes. Watching the game, you might have thought LRSC had left their game in bed. During the first two sets it seemed they might have, losing them 25-22 and 25-14. After a second set which the Royals were undoubtedly disappointed in their effort they came together. It did not matter they were trailing two sets to zero, it did not matter they were playing the number one team in NJCAA Division III, LRSC found a way. In what could only be described as a relentless effort throughout the third and fourth set, the Royals would win and force a pivotal fifth set. Momentum was in their favor at that point, despite the best efforts of Central Lakes, LRSC would come away victorious 3-2.

After two five set matches, one four set match the Royals decided it was time to put it all together. They did not need a comeback, they did not need motivation. LRSC was ready. They made quick work of Providence and won in straight sets to take the match 3-0.

After the weekend, Head Coach Brigitte Greywater would say, "What a weekend! We definitely fought the highs, the lows over these four games and came out on the other end a better team for it. Obviously, it is great we went 4-0 but more importantly we proved we could win no matter what the obstacles were. This was a great overall team effort by these ladies, everyone contributed in their own way."

The LRSC Volleyball team will finish up the regular season in Bottineau, ND on October 22nd, 7pm versus Dakota College. They will then be home Wednesday, October 24th at 7pm for the opening round of the Region XIII Tournament to take on Dawson Community College.

Go Royals!