Injuries can take a toll in sports and volleyball is certainly not immune.

After claiming a medal at each of their first two OVA (Ontario Volleyball Association) tournaments of the year, the Northern Chill 18U Avalanche Girls succumbed to numbers that proved a bit too challenging at the Furlani Cup – Trillim Green “B” tournament in Woodbridge.

With the eight team field split into two pools of four, the Chill successfully navigated their way into the top half of the standings, downing the Norfolk Chaos Force from the Port Dover / Simcoe region (25-20, 25-15) as well as the Grimsby Vipers Apex (25-13, 25-21) before tasting defeat against the Caspian Lightning from Newmarket (21-25, 22-25).

Facing the third place team in Pool A in the quarter-finals, the Chill Avalanche pulled away from the Niagara Rapids Invasion in the end, posting a 25-16, 20-25, 15-4 victory to advance to the final four.

With fatigue kicking in, the Sudbury girls were beaten 25-16, 25-22 by the eventual gold medal winning Jr Gryphons Heat from Guelph and fell short of earning a third straight medal, on the wrong end of a 21-25, 20-25 score line in a rematch with the Caspian Lightning.

A few weeks later, the Avalanche were back to their winning ways, capturing the Five Games to Gold Orillia Sun Invitational by simply staying true to the name of the event itself. Emerging triumphant in matchups with the Barrie Elites Chaos, PVC Rockets, North Bay Jr Lakers and Caspian Lightning earned the 18U Chill a shot at the host team, making no mistake in racking up a 21-25, 25-14, 15-13 victory.

The 2024-2025 team roster includes Arianna Thibodeau, Olivia Lascelle, Avery West, Ella Dionne, Alaina Marolt, Isabella Deschenes, Emily Rocha, Caroline Reichle, Danika Bouffard, Jayda McKee, Emma Mathieu, head coach Adam Marolt, assistant coach Megan Merrylees and manager Francine Dionne.