Myer and Centennial go the distance

Lina Elkayed was all over the floor for the visiting A.N. Myer Marauders senior volleyball squad Wednesday as her team recorded a hard-fought 3-2 (25-23, 18-25, 25-22, 23-25, 16-14) victory over the Centennial Cougars.

“She is very talented and very coachable,” Myer staff advisor Joanne Thomson said. “She is amazing anywhere on the floor.”

In Grade 10, Elkayed moved up to play senior ball and she has continued to develop.

“She has come a long way because she is so coachable,” Thomson said.

The 17-year-old Niagara Falls resident has been playing volleyball since Grade 4 and travel volleyball since Grade 7.

“I have been on the best team ever since then,” the Grade 12 student said of her Niagara Rapids team.

Elkayed had little time to talk after the game as she was heading directly to a Rapids practice.

“Our team is doing pretty good,” she said. “Right now we are 16th in Ontario.”

The 5-foot-7 outside hitter has always made time to play for her high school team.

“It’s important to play for my school and I get to play with my friends,” she said. “I feel it is always good competition playing against the other high school players and travel players.”

Like all athletes, Elkayed has had to find ways to stay sharp during the various COVID-19 lockdowns. A lot of that work has been done at home.

“I have been hitting a ball against the wall and practising setting. It has been really helpful.”

Thomson feels Elkayed has the potential to play at the post secondary level.

“She has the right attitude and the ability to play all over the place.”

Elkayed is interested in playing at the next level.

“I definitely want to look into that. I have been trying to contact coaches at different universities.”

Myer improved to 4-3 in Niagara Region High School Athletic Association play with the victory.

“It was two evenly matched teams and it was a long game,” Thomson said. “I didn’t know what to expect but they have some travel players who play with our girls so I think each team knew what to expect.”

Elkayed enjoyed playing in the game.

“The other team put up a fight but my team worked together. We were talking and we all came together.”

Centennial fell to 4-3 with the loss but it wasn’t from a lack of effort.

“It was great game by both teams,” Centennial assistant coach Sean McMahon said. “They both played their hearts out and we came out on the losing end but that is OK. We are all still learning and we had a lot of fun tonight.”

McMahon feels his squad’s season has gone really well.

“The girls are playing their hearts out and it’s exciting,” he said. “They are really coming together and a lot of them are learning new positions.”