Volleyball Canada – Canada’s women’s sitting volleyball team wrapped up its preliminary play on Tuesday night in Rio with a 3-0 loss (25-20, 25-19, 25-16) to the higher third-ranked Ukraine.
 
Ukraine’s Margaryta Pryvalykhina was the top scorer with 22 points (17 spikes, 4 blocks and 4 aces). Danielle Ellis of Langley, B.C. contributed 13 points (9 spikes, 2 blocks and 2 aces) as Canada’s top scorer.
 
“Despite the outcome of our final pool play match, there is a lot we can learn from playing a much more experienced team in Ukraine,” explained Canada’s women’s sitting volleyball coach Nicole Ban. “When playing up to our potential, we were able to extend rallies, use our in system strengths and at times put pressure on the opponent. The overall difference was the ability to be consistent as the match progressed; seeing high-level sitting volleyball over the last three matches has really allowed us to evaluate ourselves against the top teams and highlights where we must continue to grow and improve.”
 
Many of Canada’s players have gained valuable experience in this first Paralympics for the sitting volleyball program.
 
“This was a really well-fought game, but it was a tough one. They have some size on us, but we played with a lot of heart. We tried to rearrange our systems accordingly and I think we did a good job fighting until the end,” said Calgary’s Jennifer Oakes, a newcomer to the team this year.
 
“We are all really proud of how we have been competing. Ever since our first game we have been getting better and really trying to improve with every touch that we get. That’s why I think everybody is really excited to be able to play another match, and get some more experience under our belt.”

Canada plays Rwanda tomorrow (Sept. 15) at 1:30 Brazil time in a classification match for places seven and eight.

(Photo: World ParaVolley, and reports from CPC)
 
More on sitting volleyball at Rio 2016 can be found here: www.worldparavolley.org/rio-2016-paralympic-games/

To follow Team Canada at Rio 2016, go to www.paralympic.ca and use the hashtag #ParaTough on social media. 

Volleyball Canada media contact:
Jackie Skender
E-mail: jskender@volleyball.ca
Phone: 613.794.7676

Rio Paralympic media attache: Jody Kingsbury + 55 (21) 99032-0444