By: Kajan Thiruthanikasalam

SCARBOROUGH, ONT. - So it all comes down to this for the Centennial Colts women's volleyball team. Win this evening and they get to see another day…. and also get their first ever playoff victory since the program was reignited four years ago. Lose, however, and the season is over.

That's the situation that Centennial is in right now as they take on the Mohawk Mountaineers in their crossover game on Saturday Feb. 16 at 6:30pm. The good news is that the game will be held in the warm confines of the Athletic and Wellness Centre, in which Centennial has a 6-3 record at home.

Overall, on the season, the Colts finished with a 11-7 record, which was good for fourth place in the OCAA East. They won 38 sets and lost 31.

This year, however, was one that was full of change during the last offseason and throughout the season. With the exception of assistant coach Everest Fabro-Valdez, the Colts coaching staff underwent a makeshift change. Adriana Bento was announced in July as the new head coach and was joined by assistant coach Charlotte Sider.

"It definitely was challenging because nobody wants to lose and you fear of failing," Emily Joe, Colts third year middle blocker and team captain said, about the numerous changes in terms of personnel and the coaching staff this season. "I wanted to be the person that brings the team together as a captain but it's hard."

Joe led Centennial with 231 points on 170 kills, 28 blocks, and had a kill percentage of .372; all of those were team highs as well as career highs for her.

"I think that I have a better connection with the girls this year and it's a connection that you build over time," Joe said about her improved stats. "I wanted to be a force to be reckoned with."

Rookie left side Stella Dada's service game paced the Colts as she had 35 aces while veteran outside hitter Meilin Carmichael led the way with 165 digs and rookie setter Kayla Lui dished out 277 assists for the season.

For the Mountaineers, they finished in fourth place in the OCAA West with a record of 13-5 as they won 42 sets and lost 22.

Second year middle blocker Jessica Heidbuurt led Mohawk with 176 points on 137 kills and 33 blocks. Third year setter Amanda Kuiper's steady play was evident throughout the season as she paced the Mountaineers with 386 assists and 46 aces while fifth year right side Jennifer Knowles had 152 digs.

The Colts rank first in terms of total attacks (2102), third in digs (915) and fifth in kills (661). Meanwhile, the Mountaineers rank first in digs (1003), second in total assists (6.15) and assists per set (9.61), third in total attacks (1951), fourth in service aces (187) and kills (666), and fifth in total blocks (105).

Centennial will be looking for revenge after losing to Mohawk in straight sets last year at the 2018 OCAA Championship consolation semifinals.

And although it will be their last home game, Joe, Carmichael, and outside hitter Dulce Barrera want to extend their volleyball careers another day, as well as get the program's first playoff win since coming back to the OCAA four years ago.

"We're going to go out strong because that is our last (career) game at home and I'm going to do absolutely everything I can to try to get a win," Joe said. "And I'm going to leave that game knowing I left everything on the court. I think that all of us are going to say that win or lose."

Colts fans…. come on out and support your team in their final home game of the 2018-19 season and cheer them on for a chance to advance to provincials!