March 5, 2006
GAELS TAKE FIFTH AT NATIONALS
HAMILTON ON - In the all-Ontario consolation final at the 2006 Canadian Interuniversity Sport men's volleyball championship the seventh-seeded Queen's Golden Gaels defeated the host McMaster Marauders (No. 8) for the third time this season, by a 3-0 score, to finish in fifth place.
Championship web site: www.cisport.ca/e/championships/m_volleyball/2006
Both the Marauders and Gaels entered the fifth-place game on a high note having both secured upset wins in the consolation finals for their first victories on the National stage this decade.
As expected both teams came out firing in the first set. The two teams exchanged points, but it was the Marauders that held a slim 8-6 margin at the first technical timeout. Back and forth the set went until McMaster liberio Jon Krawec (St. Catharines, ON) made a great dig to keep a ball alive that Steve Murray (London, ON) drove home to give MAC a slim 15-13 lead. Queen's wiped out the McMaster lead on some good blocking by Daniel McCrae (Brampton, ON) and Ryan McCraken (Newcastle, ON.) Queen's moved ahead 19-18 after two controversial calls, and a kill by McCraken increased their lead to 20-18. The Gaels increased their lead to four, 18-22, late in the
set on a McCracken solo block. The Marauders wouldn't go away however, scoring three of the next five points, but Adam Simac (Ottawa, ON) ended the McMaster comeback slamming a free ball to the floor to give the Gaels the set 25-21. McCrae had 4 kills in the set for Queen's.
The second set started in much the same way that the first did and the Marauders showed that they still had a lot of life left in them when Daniel Smedley (Woodbridge, ON) made a diving dig into his own bench to sustain a rally that ended in McMaster's favour. Unfortunately for MAC they followed
up with a number of miscues that gave Queen's and 8-5 lead at the first technical timeout. McCrae continued to swing away for the Gaels and he built their lead to 10-6. The McMaster defense was all over the court digging balls, but their offense struggled to capitalize. Queen's made some mistakes of their own that let MAC back into the set and a stuff block by Adam Schulz (St. Catharines, ON) and Duncan Gillespie (Barrie, ON) cut the Queen's lead to one. McCraken stepped up and maintained the Queen's led, and by the second technical timeout Queen's had moved out front
18-14. Murray and Peter Hrkal (Caledon, East) combined to reduce the McMaster deficit to 18-17, but some good frontcourt play by Simac reestablished the Queen's lead at 23-18. An ace by McCrae, and kill down the line by Luc Lichty (St. Catharines, ON) locked up the set for the Gaels.
The third set was highlighted by some great rallies by both teams. They continued to exchange points, but it was Queen's that started to pull away late taking at 16-14 lead into the second technical timeout. Down the stretch the Gaels seemed to block everything that the Marauders swung at them. A Lichty/McCracken block followed by a McCrae/McCraken block put Queen's up 19-14. Queen's looked they had the set wrapped up when libero Steve Willis (Kingston, ON) contributed a kill from the back row to give the Gaels a 21-14 cushion. However, the Marauders fought back scoring five of the next eight points, but the Queen's blockers once again stepped up and shut down the MAC offense when they needed too to win the set and the match, 25-29.
McCracken led the scoring for Queen's with 11 points on 7 kills, 1 ace, 1 solo block, and 6 blocking assists. Player of the game Devon Miller (Barrie, ON) paced the offense with 25 assists. Steve Willis led the defense with 9 digs.
Murray and Smedley led the McMaster offense with eight points each. Sean Panchal and Ryan Hudson split the setting duties contributing 16 and 13 assists respectively. Jon Krawec seemed to dig everything in site and finished the game with 12 digs.
QUICKIE STAT LEADERS
Queen's
Kills: Daniel McCrae (8)
Blocks: Ryan McCracken (1 solo, 6 asst.)
Digs: Steve Willis (9)
Assists: Devon Miller (25)
Player of the game: Devon Miller
McMaster
Kills: Daniel Smedley (8)
Blocks: Duncan Gillespie (2 asst.)
Digs: Jon Krawec (12)
Assists: Sean Panchal (16)
Player of the game: Duncan Gillespie
SEEDING, SCHEDULE & RESULTS (all times LOCAL / EST)
1. Alberta Golden Bears (Canada West champions / 19-1 regular season, 2-0 playoffs)
2. Trinity Western Spartans (CW finalists / 16-4 regular season, 3-1 playoffs)
3. Manitoba Bisons (CW bronze medalists / 13-7 regular season, 3-1 playoffs)
4. Saskatchewan Huskies (CW semi-finalists / 15-5 regular season, 0-2 playoffs)
5. Dalhousie Tigers (AUS champions / 19-1 regular season, 1-0 playoffs)
6. Laval Rouge et Or (QSSF champions / 15-5 regular season, 2-1 playoffs)
7. Queen's Golden Gaels (OUA champions / 16-4 regular season, 3-0 playoffs)
8. McMaster Marauders (OUA semi-finalists / 15-5 regular season, 1-1
playoffs)
Friday, March 3
Quarter-final #1: Manitoba 3, Laval 0 (25-9, 25-23, 28-26)
Quarter-final #2: Trinity Western 3, Queen's 0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-23)
Quarter-final #3: Dalhousie 3, Saskatchewan 0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-23)
Quarter-final #4: Alberta 3, McMaster 1 (23-25, 25-16, 25-23, 25-16)
Saturday, March 4
Consolation #1: Queen's 3, Laval 2 (25-22, 25-19, 22-25, 21-25, 15-11
Consolation #2: McMaster 3, Saskatchewan 0 (25-16, 25-23, 25-23)
Semi-final #1: Trinity Western 3, Manitoba 2 (25-20, 24-26, 21-25, 25-23,
15-11)Semi-final #2: Alberta 3, Dalhousie 1 (24-26, 25-11,25-22,25-16)
Sunday, March 5
5th place: Queen's 3, McMaster 0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-19)
13:00 Bronze medal: No. 5 Dalhousie vs. No. 3 Manitoba
16:00 Championship final (live on TSN): No. 2 Trinity Western vs. No. 1 Alberta
- CIS -
(Source: Cameron Dunlop, McMaster Sports Information.)
Championship web site: www.cisport.ca/e/championships/m_volleyball/2006
Both the Marauders and Gaels entered the fifth-place game on a high note having both secured upset wins in the consolation finals for their first victories on the National stage this decade.
As expected both teams came out firing in the first set. The two teams exchanged points, but it was the Marauders that held a slim 8-6 margin at the first technical timeout. Back and forth the set went until McMaster liberio Jon Krawec (St. Catharines, ON) made a great dig to keep a ball alive that Steve Murray (London, ON) drove home to give MAC a slim 15-13 lead. Queen's wiped out the McMaster lead on some good blocking by Daniel McCrae (Brampton, ON) and Ryan McCraken (Newcastle, ON.) Queen's moved ahead 19-18 after two controversial calls, and a kill by McCraken increased their lead to 20-18. The Gaels increased their lead to four, 18-22, late in the
set on a McCracken solo block. The Marauders wouldn't go away however, scoring three of the next five points, but Adam Simac (Ottawa, ON) ended the McMaster comeback slamming a free ball to the floor to give the Gaels the set 25-21. McCrae had 4 kills in the set for Queen's.
The second set started in much the same way that the first did and the Marauders showed that they still had a lot of life left in them when Daniel Smedley (Woodbridge, ON) made a diving dig into his own bench to sustain a rally that ended in McMaster's favour. Unfortunately for MAC they followed
up with a number of miscues that gave Queen's and 8-5 lead at the first technical timeout. McCrae continued to swing away for the Gaels and he built their lead to 10-6. The McMaster defense was all over the court digging balls, but their offense struggled to capitalize. Queen's made some mistakes of their own that let MAC back into the set and a stuff block by Adam Schulz (St. Catharines, ON) and Duncan Gillespie (Barrie, ON) cut the Queen's lead to one. McCraken stepped up and maintained the Queen's led, and by the second technical timeout Queen's had moved out front
18-14. Murray and Peter Hrkal (Caledon, East) combined to reduce the McMaster deficit to 18-17, but some good frontcourt play by Simac reestablished the Queen's lead at 23-18. An ace by McCrae, and kill down the line by Luc Lichty (St. Catharines, ON) locked up the set for the Gaels.
The third set was highlighted by some great rallies by both teams. They continued to exchange points, but it was Queen's that started to pull away late taking at 16-14 lead into the second technical timeout. Down the stretch the Gaels seemed to block everything that the Marauders swung at them. A Lichty/McCracken block followed by a McCrae/McCraken block put Queen's up 19-14. Queen's looked they had the set wrapped up when libero Steve Willis (Kingston, ON) contributed a kill from the back row to give the Gaels a 21-14 cushion. However, the Marauders fought back scoring five of the next eight points, but the Queen's blockers once again stepped up and shut down the MAC offense when they needed too to win the set and the match, 25-29.
McCracken led the scoring for Queen's with 11 points on 7 kills, 1 ace, 1 solo block, and 6 blocking assists. Player of the game Devon Miller (Barrie, ON) paced the offense with 25 assists. Steve Willis led the defense with 9 digs.
Murray and Smedley led the McMaster offense with eight points each. Sean Panchal and Ryan Hudson split the setting duties contributing 16 and 13 assists respectively. Jon Krawec seemed to dig everything in site and finished the game with 12 digs.
QUICKIE STAT LEADERS
Queen's
Kills: Daniel McCrae (8)
Blocks: Ryan McCracken (1 solo, 6 asst.)
Digs: Steve Willis (9)
Assists: Devon Miller (25)
Player of the game: Devon Miller
McMaster
Kills: Daniel Smedley (8)
Blocks: Duncan Gillespie (2 asst.)
Digs: Jon Krawec (12)
Assists: Sean Panchal (16)
Player of the game: Duncan Gillespie
SEEDING, SCHEDULE & RESULTS (all times LOCAL / EST)
1. Alberta Golden Bears (Canada West champions / 19-1 regular season, 2-0 playoffs)
2. Trinity Western Spartans (CW finalists / 16-4 regular season, 3-1 playoffs)
3. Manitoba Bisons (CW bronze medalists / 13-7 regular season, 3-1 playoffs)
4. Saskatchewan Huskies (CW semi-finalists / 15-5 regular season, 0-2 playoffs)
5. Dalhousie Tigers (AUS champions / 19-1 regular season, 1-0 playoffs)
6. Laval Rouge et Or (QSSF champions / 15-5 regular season, 2-1 playoffs)
7. Queen's Golden Gaels (OUA champions / 16-4 regular season, 3-0 playoffs)
8. McMaster Marauders (OUA semi-finalists / 15-5 regular season, 1-1
playoffs)
Friday, March 3
Quarter-final #1: Manitoba 3, Laval 0 (25-9, 25-23, 28-26)
Quarter-final #2: Trinity Western 3, Queen's 0 (25-17, 25-12, 25-23)
Quarter-final #3: Dalhousie 3, Saskatchewan 0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-23)
Quarter-final #4: Alberta 3, McMaster 1 (23-25, 25-16, 25-23, 25-16)
Saturday, March 4
Consolation #1: Queen's 3, Laval 2 (25-22, 25-19, 22-25, 21-25, 15-11
Consolation #2: McMaster 3, Saskatchewan 0 (25-16, 25-23, 25-23)
Semi-final #1: Trinity Western 3, Manitoba 2 (25-20, 24-26, 21-25, 25-23,
15-11)Semi-final #2: Alberta 3, Dalhousie 1 (24-26, 25-11,25-22,25-16)
Sunday, March 5
5th place: Queen's 3, McMaster 0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-19)
13:00 Bronze medal: No. 5 Dalhousie vs. No. 3 Manitoba
16:00 Championship final (live on TSN): No. 2 Trinity Western vs. No. 1 Alberta
- CIS -
(Source: Cameron Dunlop, McMaster Sports Information.)
