With one player injured and another away at OFSAA, the Northern Chill 17U Attack girls were but eight strong entering Bugarski Cup – Trillium Green F play earlier this month in Alliston.

Just how much the fatigue from a reduced roster played into the final result is difficult to say, but the local crew which started the tournament with three straight match victories closed off with a pair of setbacks, coming up just short of securing a medal at the event.

The Sudbury squad took down the Thundercats Nexus from Vaughan in straight sets (25-22, 25-21) and overcame a minor speed-bump in outlasting the Caspian Waves (Newmarket) in one extra set (15-25, 25-20, 15-9) in the morning draw.

Battling the Wildcats Lynx from Markham in quarter-final action, the Chill controlled matters from start to finish, moving on to the final four thanks to a 25-16, 25-20 triumph.

A match-up with the gold medal winning Orillia Suns Heat Wave would prove challenging, the northern crew beaten 25-19, 25-18 before failing to finish the day the way that they started as Thundercats Nexus earned bronze with a 26-24, 25-21 win.

“The girls were challenged with limited numbers but showed great resiliency,” suggested 17U Attack head coach Adam Marolt, who went on to say that the preparation for provincials next month will include some exhibition games with teams from North Bay and Sault Ste Marie for the nickel city reps.

With Emma Mathieu and Ella Dionne unavailable on this particular weekend, the remaining roster of Emily Rocha, Avery West, Caroline Reichle, Taryn Rollins, Arianna Thibodeau, Alaina Marolt, Isabella Deschene and Olivia Borello gathered to give it their best shot, along with head coach Adam Marolt, assistant coach Megan Merrylees and team manager Francine Dionne.