For the second time in three years, the MHSAA’s Provincial Junior Varsity AAAA girls volleyball championship banner belongs to Steinbach Regional.

The Sabres defeated the Vincent Massey Vikings of Brandon 25-22, 25-18, 26-28, 25-18 in the championship game Monday night at the Investors Group Athletic Centre on the campus of the University of Manitoba in south Winnipeg.

“Honestly, this is the most surreal feeling I’ve ever felt,” said Sabres setter Abby Voth shortly after the medal and banner presentations. “I’ve never been a part of something this huge. Coming into this school, new this year from a AAA school (Niverville) and moving to a AAAA school – the feeling of playing in this kind of place is just huge and I couldn’t be more thankful for my team and my coaches. We put in so much hard work this season and continue to show up when it mattered. I’m so thankful to be able to be a part of this.”

“This is a huge accomplishment and a nice way to finish off the season,” noted SRSS head coach Bryan Tottle. “I think the girls, in this environment, it was new to them, but it was exciting for them. Once they got through some of the nerves, we started to play a little better.”

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The SCAC champions lost one match all season.

The Sabres, who were the number one seed heading into the Provincials, were swept by Winnipeg’s Vincent Massey Trojans last Friday in the power pool round robin.

Steinbach Regional finished second in the power pool and swept Garden City 25-20, 25-16, 25-20 in the quarterfinals and knocked off the Trojans 25-16, 20-25, 25-11, 25-20 in semifinals.

“It’s pretty hard to run the table but we came pretty darn close,” said coach Tottle. “To do that and sit back and think about it, it is quite a feat. These girls are so deserving of it. I’m so happy for them and so proud of them. They put in the effort. Every day at practice, nobody complained, everybody got along. It made the job coaching them that much better. It was so sweet.”

Jamie Kotyk and Olivia Unrau of the Sabres were named All-Stars

The final word belongs to Abby Voth who was named the MVP of the 2023 Provincial Junior Varsity AAAA girls volleyball championship.

“My heart was beating so fast out my chest. I felt like I was going to cry. It was unexpected but an amazing feeling. It was such an honor to be the MVP tonight.”

2023 Provincial Junior Varsity Girls AAAA volleyball champions
Steinbach Regional Secondary School Sabres roster: Isabella Braun, Kaylee Dalupang, Madelyn Friesen, Madelyn Hiebert, Amy Johnson, Elenoa Kaukirewa, Jamie Kotyk, Silina-Kae Masi, Jenae Mason, Jadyn Plett, Jamie Rempel, Chloe Thiessen, Olivia Unrau & Abigail Voth. Bryan Tottle (head coach) & Raygan Tottle (assistant coach)