HEATHER ALFORD

SPORTS REPORTER

SUDBURY – The Humber Hawks women’s volleyball team won its third consecutive provincial championship last weekend and has earned a place in the national championships in Quebec next week.

“I didn’t think it would feel as good as it does but it feels 10 times better than I ever imagined it would,” said OCAA rookie of the year Kelly Nyhof, who led the Hawks with 21 points in the final game. “It’s the best feeling in the entire world, especially when you’ve worked as hard as we did.”

The gold medal match at Cambrian College last Saturday was a nail-biter as the top-ranked Hawks and second-seeded Nipissing Lakers battled back and forth for five sets.

“That’s definitely the tightest provincial game I’ve ever played,” said Hawks’ middle Landis Doyle, who’s starred on all three championship teams. “It was nerve-racking. Nipissing played really well.”

The Lakers came out strong, winning the first set 25-20 before Humber took the second 25-19.

But Nipissing came right back in the third set, 25-19, putting the Hawks on the brink of defeat.

“I think we can feel really good about the fact that we never quit and we never gave up,” said head coach Chris Wilkins.

The Hawks crushed the Lakers 25-18 in the fourth and cruised through the tie-breaking fifth set 15-9.

The win in the final came after the Hawks disposed of host Cambrian 3-0 in the quarter-finals and Mohawk, also in straight sets, in the semis.

“Everyone was looking at us not to win, so I think it means more to us that we won and shoved it in everyone’s face,” said captain and three-peat champion Teresa George. “To come out and win this big championship, when everyone was looking at us not to, it’s big.”

Now, the women are off to the Canadian championship in Gatineau, Que. starting next Friday.

“I’m looking forward to going to nationals,” said Wilkins, whose team placed fifth in its last two shots at the Canadian title.