The Hawks used a strong service game to win four of their six pool games to earn a spot in the semifinals Wednesday night at E. C. Drury. But the Hawks missed their first four serves in the one-set semifinal and although they mounted a rally that saw them draw even, in the end the early points they surrendered proved costly in a 25-18 loss to the eventual champion, C. W. Morden.

“We had a couple of games (in pool play) that we didn’t miss any serves,” said Hadfield coach Lisa Turbitt. “Against Beaudoin, we had nine (points) in a row to start. But in a one-game situation, you can’t afford to give them points like that.”

Turbitt said it wasn’t just one player that was giving them the chance to put up points by putting serves in play. In pool play, Ami Madhar and Austin MacIntrye each served up nine straight points while Chris Reid and Liam Shields helped the Hawks reel off seven-point runs.

But when the serving failed them in the final game, it didn’t give Hadfield an opportunity to set up its strong attack, which was led by middle Terell Thomas, powers MacIntyre and Reid and setter Brandon Tiensovan.

Hadfield overcame its early struggles to tie the set at 14 but Morden took seven of the last nine points to close the match and move on to the final where the Oakville school beat Burlington’s C. W. Beaudoin 25-23, 25-11.

Hadfield opened the tournament with a 25-14, 22-25 split with Pilgrim Wood. Against Beaudoin, the Hawks trailed 23-19 before rallying for a 27-26 victory. They had to settle for a split after losing a close second set 25-22. The Hawks secured their place in the semis with a 25-18, 25-12 sweep of New Central.

Hadfield will have a good core to build around. Two of its starters, Madhar and Austin Redding, are in Grade 6.

Sam Sherratt, Milton’s other representative in the tier 2 final, was swept in its three matches, 25-14, 25-23 against Morden, 25- 13, 25-20 against Forest Trail and 25-13, 25-17 against Tecumseh.

On the girls side, Hawthorne Village swept Post’s Corners 25-15, 25-20 to force a tiebreaker to advance to the semifinals. However, Forest Trail scored 10 straight points on its way to a 15-4 victory.

Hawthorne Village had split its pool match with Forest Trail 25-23, 14-25. In its other pool match, the north tier 2 champions were swept by the eventual champions, C. R. Beaudoin, 25-21, 25-14.

Chris Hadfield was swept by West Oak 25-19, 25-14 in its first match but came back to earn splits with Sir E. MacMillan 12-25, 25-20 and Heritage Glen 25-19, 13- 25. MacMillan earned the second semifinal berth in the pool with three wins.