February 24, 2006
QUEEN'S WINS OUA TITLE
KINGSTON - The Queen's Golden Gaels are OUA men's volleyball champions for the first time since 2001/02. Queen's defeated the Ryerson Rams 3-1 (25-18, 25-20, 21-25, 25-23) in the second match of the OUA best-of-three championship before a lively crowd of more than 600 at Bartlett Gymnasium.
OUA first team all-star Devon Miller was named Queen's Player of the Match, making 43 assists and also adding two aces, one solo block and a team-high 11 digs. Daniel McCrae led Queen's hitters with 15 kills, while Andrew Bridgeman and Adam Simac followed with 10apiece. Simac led his team with five blocks (three solo, two assist).
For the Rams, OUA MVP Ryan Vandenburg was named Player of the Match with a team-leading 19 kills.
The opening set started with both teams matching each other almost point for point, with Queen's holding a slim 8-6 lead at the first technical time out. The Gaels gradually began to pull away, leading 16-10 at the second technical and cruising to a 25-18 victory in the first game.
Ryerson tightened up in the second set, keeping the game close and tying score at 16 apiece. A late surge tilted the game 25-20 in Queen's favour.
Sensing pending elimination, the Rams finally roared to life in the third set, dominating the early going to take a 16-9 lead. Ryerson began to falter as the set wore on, allowing Queen's to narrow the margin to 22-20, but clung to their lead to take the game 25-21.
Ryerson again held the lead early in the fourth set, holding an 8-6 lead at the first technical. The Tricolour soon turned the tables, taking the lead at 11-10 and retaining the upper hand in a close and hard-fought set. Taking the set 25-23, Queen's won its first OUA banner of the 2005/06 season.
The victory marks Queen's fourth OUA title in men's volleyball, with previous championships in 1971/72, 1999/00 and 2001-02. The title is the third for head coach Brenda Willis, who led the Gaels in 1999/00 and 2001/02.
As OUA champions, Queen's advances to the CIS championship tournament hosted by McMaster University in Hamilton on March 3-5. Scheduling details will be posted later on www.goldengaels.com.
For full CIS men's volleyball tournament information, please visit http://www.cisport.ca/e/championships/m_volleyball/2006/ on the CIS Web site.
(Source: Ian Speers, Queen's Sports Information.)
(Photo: The jubilant Gaels celebrate their first OUA men's volleyball title since 2001/02. Photo by Changuk Sohn.)
OUA first team all-star Devon Miller was named Queen's Player of the Match, making 43 assists and also adding two aces, one solo block and a team-high 11 digs. Daniel McCrae led Queen's hitters with 15 kills, while Andrew Bridgeman and Adam Simac followed with 10apiece. Simac led his team with five blocks (three solo, two assist).
For the Rams, OUA MVP Ryan Vandenburg was named Player of the Match with a team-leading 19 kills.
The opening set started with both teams matching each other almost point for point, with Queen's holding a slim 8-6 lead at the first technical time out. The Gaels gradually began to pull away, leading 16-10 at the second technical and cruising to a 25-18 victory in the first game.
Ryerson tightened up in the second set, keeping the game close and tying score at 16 apiece. A late surge tilted the game 25-20 in Queen's favour.
Sensing pending elimination, the Rams finally roared to life in the third set, dominating the early going to take a 16-9 lead. Ryerson began to falter as the set wore on, allowing Queen's to narrow the margin to 22-20, but clung to their lead to take the game 25-21.
Ryerson again held the lead early in the fourth set, holding an 8-6 lead at the first technical. The Tricolour soon turned the tables, taking the lead at 11-10 and retaining the upper hand in a close and hard-fought set. Taking the set 25-23, Queen's won its first OUA banner of the 2005/06 season.
The victory marks Queen's fourth OUA title in men's volleyball, with previous championships in 1971/72, 1999/00 and 2001-02. The title is the third for head coach Brenda Willis, who led the Gaels in 1999/00 and 2001/02.
As OUA champions, Queen's advances to the CIS championship tournament hosted by McMaster University in Hamilton on March 3-5. Scheduling details will be posted later on www.goldengaels.com.
For full CIS men's volleyball tournament information, please visit http://www.cisport.ca/e/championships/m_volleyball/2006/ on the CIS Web site.
(Source: Ian Speers, Queen's Sports Information.)
(Photo: The jubilant Gaels celebrate their first OUA men's volleyball title since 2001/02. Photo by Changuk Sohn.)
