World Women’s Teams Match 1 Coach Report

Click here to watch Canada's match vs. Austria LIVE!

Pool F Opening Match Monday Nov. 12th

Canada 0 vs Australia 3

Click here to watch Canada's match vs. Austria LIVE!

Pool F Opening Match Monday Nov. 12th

Canada 0 vs Australia 3

  1. Sam Cornett (1) vs Rachel Grinham (3)
  2. Alex Norman (1) vs Donna Urquarht (3)
  3. Susie King (1) vs Melody Francis (3)

    Sam vs Rachel

The Ottawa born Cornett, having never played Rachel before, was excited for the chance to compete against such an experienced and accomplished athlete.    From the get-go, Sam exploded out of the blocks with her powerful drives and attacked at every opportunity.    Rachel, known for her unorthodox style and intelligent play, put pressure on our top Canadian however Sam’s speed and volleys allowed her to secure the first game.

In the second game, Sam continued to take the ball early however the former World Number 1, seemed un-phased as she stepped up her game with her deceptive backhand volley down the line and painfully slow boast on her forehand side, moving Sam to all corners of the court.   She even hit a ball between the legs and behind the back!  

By the fourth and final game, the investments Rachel had made into the first three games were paying off, as Sam, our fittest Canadian was fatiguing.

It was a joy to watch and despite the loss, Sam should be proud she forced a World Champion to bring out her best game in order to beat her

Alex vs Donna

The game plan against the tall left handed player was to keep it out of her “wheel house” on the forehand side since she was known for her powerful volley kills.     Alex needed to focus on keeping the ball tight and high on her backhand side to set up opportunities to hit one of her best shots, the straight drop.    In the first game, all was going according to plan.   Alex came out strong, attacking when given the chance, stretching Donna to the front of the court with her tight drops.    And, much to the delight of the spectators finished the game with a volley cross-court nick to win 10-9.

In the second game, Donna proved why she deserved her top 16 world ranking for she picked up the pace and put Alex more on the defensive.

It was the Aussie who took the match in 4 games but left our Montreal inhabitant feeling confident about her ability to compete as a world contender.

Susie vs Melody

The last time Susie competed for her country was at the junior world championships where she played for her native country, England at 17.  The now 25 year old was eager to compete on the world stage once again, this time, representing Canada.  Taking a page out of Sam and Alex’s book, Susie came out gang busters, attacking at her first opportunity, slotting the ball in the nick on several occasions, giving her a 1-0 lead.     And, as in the previous two matches, the Australian steadied herself in the following games, taking away Susie’s opportunities to put the ball away.    It was another 1-3 loss for the Canucks however an incredible experience for the Calgary resident.