REGINA - The Yukon women's volleyball team came into the Canada Summer Games with one goal - to beat a province.

On Wednesday, they were given their best chance yet in the tournament, as they took on P.E.I. in their final game of the round-robin. P.E.I. was also winless coming into the contest and in the first set, it looked like the Yukon had the clear upperhand, claiming a 25-12 victory.

But after taking the second set 25-20, the momentum shifted P.E.I.'s way and the maritime province ended up walking away with the victory in five sets.

'I think the nerves got to us,' said Yukon's Jessica Rowatt, who had an impressive game as setter. 'From the first set, I definitely thought we were going to win. It was definitely our best game so far.'

Veteran Naomi Gladish, who missed the two previous games with a knee injury, was back in the lineup for the Yukon, although she wasn't actually cleared to play by the doctor.

Instead, she signed a waiver stating she was playing at her own risk and ignoring the doctors orders. Once she talked to her parents and they gave the OK, Tait was willing to play her.

'It wasn't hurting as much,' said Gladish, who obviously didn't want to miss Wednesday's important game.

She had a cast-like layer of athletic tape over her entire leg, which was signed by the entire team. Without the tape, she said, she couldn't have played, which was obvious from the way she occasionally limped off the court.

It was Gladish's return that seemed to pump up the squad in the first two sets, as everyone was happy to have their starting lineup back.

'I was just really excited to play and I think I got the team pumped up to play too,' she said.

But, she admitted, they got overconfident after winning two sets in a row, and when P.E.I. won the third set, disappointment took over.

'It's a long match,' said head coach Russ Tait. 'They adjusted to our defence and started to tip a lot of balls tight and we just never adjusted to that. Emotionally, it's tough. They had a gritty team on the other side.

'At that level, it's about doing the small details every time.'

While the Yukon didn't come through on what Tait called an 'historic opportunity' - they've never beaten a province at the Games before - they did go to five sets against two different provinces, P.E.I. and Newfoundland. And that in itself took some great performances.

'But still, our goal was to beat a province,' said Rowatt. 'Hopefully, we'll have another chance to do that in our final couple of games (in the consolation playoffs).'

Tonight, the Yukon will take on Nova Scotia at the Games. And while anything is possible, Nova Scotia is expected to be a much tougher team than P.E.I., which is why Wednesday's game was so huge for the Yukon.

'This was our championship match, our gold medal final,' stated Tait. 'We could have been playing for ninth or 10th. If we would have won this match, the worst we could have been was 10th. But, that's what sport is all about.'

Still, no matter how adverse it gets, you can't help but be proud of this women's volleyball team, said the coach. They always give it their all and always treat each other well and you can't ask for much more, he said.

'We ask these kids to do tremendous things under pressure. It's not an easy thing to do. But, if you're going to play high-calibre sports, you have to step up when the time is there.'

There was no better time than Wednesday, not only because of their opponents, but because of a large Yukon crowd which attended the game to support the team, including a couple of special guests.

Yukon Premier Dennis Fentie and Glenn Hart, the minister of Community Services, flew into Regina Wednesday, just hours before the matchup, for a big announcement sometime today. Both of the men were fully decked out in Team Yukon gear and took part in numerous cheers, as well as the wave.

Fentie said he enjoyed what was a very exciting match.

'I I think our girls put on a valiant effort. They were close, but in the end, a couple of shots went P.E.I.'s way and that was the difference. But our girls showed well. They did us proud.'

Tait said it meant a lot to his team that everyone came to watch, especially when Fentie came over to the bench following the contest to shake hands and congratulate them on their efforts.

'They were playing for pride with the Yukon,' said the coach. 'They did their best for the Yukon, but they couldn't pull it off tonight, unfortunately.'

The men's volleyball team didn't have much more luck Wednesday, as they fell in three straight sets to P.E.I. That means both squads will enter the consolation round winless. While the women will take on Nova Scotia today, the men are scheduled to face Newfoundland once again.

It was an off day for both athletics and soccer at the Games Wednesday. The men's soccer team will battle against Newfoundland in their first game of the consolation playoffs today while there are a few events scheduled for Yukoners in athletics.

Lauren Bradley will represent the territory in the 200 metres while Willy Palahicky and Ammon Hoefs will compete in the men's long jump. The Yukon men will also take part in the 4x400 metre relay.