It was an epic match that lasted two hours and took five sets and when it was finally over shortly after 10 p.m. on Monday night, the Steinbach Regional Secondary School's junior varsity boys volleyball team started celebrating a provincial championship victory.

The Sabres defeated the St. Paul's Crusaders 18-25, 25-27, 25-21, 25-10, 18-16 in the final of the Provincial AAAA Championship at the University of Manitoba's Investors Group Athletic Centre in Winnipeg.

"We weren't really playing our best game," said Sabres setter Tyson Koop when quizzed about their slow start against the Crusaders. "The passes weren't really there, the sets weren't there either. It felt good to turn it around with our backs against the wall and come out with the victory."

Steinbach Regional got behind the eight-ball when St. Paul's setter Justin Cross ended the second set with an ace.

Cue the SRSS rally.

"We just dug in," said Sabres middle Paxton Koop who was named the Provincials MVP. "We got our passes to the net and we got our swings down. That was it."

SRSS head coach Michelle Sawatzky-Koop said her players were ready for the challenge.

"They've played in big matches. We won two club provincial championships but when you play for your school there's pride on the line and they wanted it so bad. They were playing so well that it didn't come as naturally at the beginning as I thought and St. Paul's took it to us. They served bullets. It wasn't like we were passing bad on easy serves. They scouted us well and they were doing all they could to get us. The Crusaders played amazing."



The fifth set came to a dramatic end when St. Paul's outside hitter Joshua Stackiw had his spike attempt rejected at the net by Sabres left side hitter Tony Nickel.

"I was pretty nervous because they needed one more point a couple of times," said Nickel who along with Tyson Koop were named to the Provincial All-Star team. "I'm just pumped I got the last point when I blocked him."

The Sabres swept both the Vincent Massey Vikings of Brandon and their South Central Athletic Conference rivals, the Dakota Lancers on the way to the final.

"Incredibly proud," said coach Sawatzky-Koop of her team. "Not just for the win but because I know how hard that we pushed them, how hard we work them and how much we expect from them. When they were 11 we already expected them to pass the ball to the setter. They've put up with us learning how to be better coaches, being too tough sometimes and coming back to their level. They have forgiven us and gone on and become stronger for it and I think they realize that. I'm really, really proud of this entire group. They showed that they're the best in the province once again and it's sweet to be here."