GOLDEN GAELS REPEAT AS OUA MEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONS

KINGSTON Ont. - The Queen's Golden Gaels repeated as OUA men's volleyball champions outlasting the McMaster Marauders, 3-2, (25-21, 20-25, 23-25, 25-19, 15-13) in the third and deciding game of the OUA Championship Series at Queen's Bartlett Gym on Saturday night.

The Gaels took the first set 25-21. The Marauders rallied taking the next two sets 25-20 and 25-23. Queen's bounced back in the fourth set winning 25-19. That set up the fifth and deciding set.

Considering how even the series had been throughout it was no surprise that both teams traded points and wouldn't back down. For the Marauders, looking to capture only their second OUA Championship title in history (1991-92), it wasn't to be as Queen's took a late lead and held on 15-13 to secure the game, match, and Championship title. Match point came when second team OUA All Star Dan McCrae's kill went off the McMaster block and out. The match took two hours and 15 minutes to play and played out in front of a packed house at the Bartlett Gym with hundreds of fans making the trip from Hamilton.

OUA Player of the Year Devon Miller was the Gaels player of the match with 54 assists, 12 digs, 2 blocks and 3 kills. Gael first team OUA all star Jeff DeMeza had a game high 22 kills, 6 digs, 2 blocks and a service ace with teammate Steve Willis having a game high 18 digs.

The McMaster player of the match was Daniel Smedley a first team league all star who had 17 kills, 3 blocks and 3 digs. Middle Nate Groenveld (Welland, ON) had 11 kills, four solo blocks and one ace. OUA Rookie of the Year Shawn Bench (St. Catharines, ON) had six kills and five solo blocks. Winnipeg native Ryan Hudson ran the offence with 40 assists.

Both teams will now play in the CIS championships March 2-4 in Hamilton at McMaster University. The Marauders will enter the tournament as the host school.

McMaster's opening match at the CIS Championship will take place on Friday, March 2, 2007. Game time is 8:00 p.m. against Trinity Western while the Golden Gaels will begin their CIS Championships against UBC at 1:00pm. To purchase tickets please visit http://www.ticketmaster.ca or call 905-547-2287.

Friday, March 2

13:00 Quarter-final #1: No. 2 UBC vs. No. 7 Queen's
15:00 Quarter-final #2: No. 3 Winnipeg vs. No. 6 Laval
18:00 Quarter-final #3: No. 4 Alberta vs. No. 5 Dalhousie
20:00 Quarter-final #4: No. 1 Trinity Western vs. No. 8 McMaster

Saturday, March 3

13:00 Consolation #1
15:00 Consolation #2
18:00 Semi-final #1
20:00 Semi-final #2

Sunday, March 4

10:30 5th place
12:30 Bronze medal
15:30 Championship final (live on The Score)

(Source: Cameron Dunlop, Communications Coordinator (with files from Bill Mikas, Queen's University Sports Information)