Alexa Smith and Erika Markentin have won the first-ever Canada Games medal for Team Sask in Beach Volleyball.
The pair won against Alberta 2-1 to win the bronze medal.
Markentin was relieved to win the medal after a tense battle with Alberta.
“I’m not gonna lie, in the second set it was close–we kind of lost it there–but it’s just about not giving up hope. We had that. And it was an amazing third set. Money set by Alexa.”
Smith, who also served as the Team Sask torchbearer in the final legs of a cross-provincial Torch Relay at the Opening Ceremony, agreed it was a back-and-forth battle.
“Crazy swings. We trained so hard, and I’m so proud of how we stuck together and just never gave up.”
When Smith scored the final point, she said she was in disbelief.
“Oh my gosh, this can’t be real. I thought I was dreaming.”
Markentin says winning a medal at the Canada Games is a dream.
“I was dreaming about this last night, and I was like, that was a dream. That was a dream. Lock in, lock in, and we did it. That’s crazy. Saskatchewan has never medalled in Beach, and we did for the first time. Let’s go.”
Markentin also reflected on the gravity of the accomplishment.
“It feels so good to set that standard for Saskatchewan volleyball. Going into each game, knowing we’re an underdog, it just fuels us because nobody sees that coming. So every time we get a good swing, ace a serve, get a block, it just feels that much better.”
The 19-year-old teammates are Division 1 Beach Volleyball players in the United States (Markentin competes for California State University, Bakersfield, while Smith is at the University of Alabama at Birmingham).
Week two competition at the 2025 Canada Summer Games will begin on Tuesday.
