The Vanier Crusader junior girls and boys captured gold at the Yukon Volleyball Championships at the Canada Games Centre on Saturday, defeating the Porter Creek Rams and F.H. Collins Warriors.

Each Crusader team defeated their opponents in two sets, allowing for Vanier to sweep the Championships at both the junior and senior level.

"The girls worked very hard for this win,” said Dwayne Stoker, head coach of the Vanier girls' team.

"We had a battle in Dawson and came up a little bit short in the semi-final, so we came back focused. The girls worked very hard all year, they were very team-orientated and they got along very well.”

The Crusaders took on the Rams in the first gold medal match of the day. The teams exchanged leads throughout the first set, but after the Rams returned a serve out of bounds late in the match, the Crusaders were able to pull out the win, 26-24.

Vanier got out to an early lead in the second set but the Rams quickly evened the score before an ace by Vanier's Sydney Young pushed the Crusaders ahead.

Vanier was able to carry that momentum for the rest of the match, winning the second set and securing the gold medal finish.

"We mentally broke down today, that was the struggle all season,” said Porter Creek head coach Kasia Leary.

"Our biggest factor today was our own mind. Vanier beat us more times in the season and we were really eager to play them today but mentally we just didn't stack up. I think the most frustrating thing is the girls know they let their minds get the better of them.”

On the boys' side, Vanier took on F.H. Collins in an entertaining and close match. In the end, the Crusaders were able to get the victory, defeating the Warriors in two sets, 25-22 and 26-24.

In the first set, the Warriors got out to an early lead but Vanier's team captain Jono Runions and power hitter Ethan Robinson responded with aggressive play at the net.

With the score tied at 22, a Runions spike was blocked out of bounds and the Crusaders closed out the set for the win.

In the second set the score remained close as both teams exchanged leads before Runions was able to get the game-winning kill and ensure victory for the Crusaders.

"It was an up and down game but the boys really kept it calm throughout the whole game and did the little things right,” said Crusaders head coach Jeremy Staveley.

"It was good competition, the F.H. Collins team is well coached, they play really good volleyball and they made us elevate our game.”

Nerves were an early factor for both teams with a large crowd on hand. But the Crusaders were able to rise to the occasion, Staveley said.

"We were all really nervous, we discussed that before the game,” added Runions.

Vanier's Louis Kedziora was named tournament MVP while Chanel Newell received the honour on the women's side.