Note
Unintentional day off...
After taking yesterday off, it was my intention to run today during Sarah's volleyball tournament - just like two weeks ago... But, no go...
Her team's schedule never featured back-to-back games off nor were there locker rooms for quick changing nor was the area near the school good for running (nice and flat, but snowbanks narrowed heavily trafficked roads).
Her team did well, going undefeated (and never challenged) until the finals. There they won the first game after taking at 15-1 lead. The second game was quite bizarre. The girls were clearly tired and overconfident, but even the refs were off. The score had to be changed four times and they still got it wrong (I was keeping track on paper after the debacles two weeks ago). Also, the assistant ref, a girl on the team they had just beaten, called FOUR calls at the net against Sarah's team and none against the other. These were the only four (non-line) calls I saw made by an assistant ref all day. The game ended when the head ref overruled a line judge and awarded the game 25 (really 24) - 16 to the other team. The third game began with the ref overruling (and apparently mistakenly) a line judge, again against our team. The girls trailed 4-2, but ultimately won 15-8. The scoring errors are distressing, but karma says that they are now even having benefited from those two weeks ago (albeit only in games her team was winning in a romp). The refereeing did not affect the outcome of the finals - or even the second game - but it sure could have had the girls played better. I think the head ref was doing a generally good job, but once again, having the matches decided by distracted 16-year olds seems inherently risky.
Either way, congratulations to Sarah's team.