February 22, 2008
TORONTO SET TO HOST OUA WOMEN�S VOLLEYBALL FINAL FOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
HAMILTON, Ont. -The University of Toronto Varsity Blues are set to host the 2008 OUA Women's Volleyball Final Four Championship, Feb. 22-23, at U of T's Athletic Centre Sports Gym. The host Blues will play the Waterloo Warriors at 6 p.m. on Friday night, followed by the Ottawa Gee-Gees and the McMaster Marauders at 8 p.m. The bronze medal match is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Saturday, while the gold medal game is set for 6 p.m.
The No. 9 Varsity Blues finished the regular season as the top seed in the OUA with an overall record of 17-2. They finished the regular season with 10 consecutive wins and continued their streak, winning their 11th in a row on Friday, Feb. 15 when they defeated the Queen's Golden Gaels 3-0 (25-17, 25-11, 27-25) in their OUA quarter-final match-up.
Three-time CIS all-Canadian and 2008 OUA first-team all-star, Anastasia Danilova (Toronto, ON) again led the Blues in most offensive categories this season, including kills (200), total points (249) and points per game (4.45). Danilova was second in the OUA and fourth in the CIS in points per game, while being ranked first in conference and third in the country in serving aces.
2007-08 OUA all-stars Heather Bansley (Waterdown, ON), and Mila Miguel (Victoria, BC) will also play major roles in the Blues success this weekend.
"We are prepared and ready for the challenge this weekend", said Blues head coach Kristine Drakich. "Our team has had a great season and we're going to continue to do the things that we do well. We'll take it one step at a time as each match will be a tough one."
Christine Lamey (Ottawa, ON) will look to lead the defending OUA champions Ottawa Gee-Gees (15-4) into Toronto to claim their second title in as many years. The OUA's leading scorer, Lamey helped the Gee-Gees earn a berth in the Final Four when they defeated the York Lions in three straight sets (25-21, 25-17, 25-15).
From the OUA West, the division leading McMaster Marauders locked in their spot in the Final Four after knocking off the Western Mustangs, last Saturday afternoon (Feb 16). The Marauders are the only OUA team to have defeated both the Varsity Blues and the Gee-Gees this season. Posting a stellar 16-3 record, McMaster is poised and ready, and considered one of the favourites to win it all.
Finishing second in the west, the Waterloo Warriors (14-5) successfully clinched the last spot in the Final Four after grinding out a 3-1(25-15, 25-21, 18-25, 25-22) win over division rivals Laurier Golden Hawks. "It's been an incredible year for the team and they've worked hard to get here," said coach Gabriele Jobst. " We've been ranked in the top four all season and I'm just so proud to see the team earn their spot in the OUA championship this year. It's certainly well-deserved." The Warriors will be in tough on Friday and will rely on their heavy hitters Bojana Josipovic (Kitchener, ON) and Gabriella Lesniak (Hamilton, ON) as they look to upset the host squad.
OUA Semifinals
Friday, February 22
6:00 pm - Toronto (17-2) vs Waterloo (14-5)
8:00 pm - Ottawa (15-4) vs McMaster (16-3)
Saturday February 23
4:00 pm - Bronze Medal Match
6:00 pm - OUA Championship Match
* All games will be played the University of Toronto's Athletic Centre Sports Gym
(55 Harbord St. Toronto).
** All games will be webcast LIVE on SSN (The Sports Streaming Network), free of charge to viewers. Please visit www.oua.ca for all webcast information.
Official Sponsors of the OUA Women's Volleyball Final Four Championships: belairdirect., Wilson Sports Equipment of Canada, and Pizza Pizza
- OUA - (With files from Toronto Varsity Blues)
Michelle Church
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Tel: (905) 540-5156
Fax: (905) 574-2840
E-mail: michelle.church@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
The No. 9 Varsity Blues finished the regular season as the top seed in the OUA with an overall record of 17-2. They finished the regular season with 10 consecutive wins and continued their streak, winning their 11th in a row on Friday, Feb. 15 when they defeated the Queen's Golden Gaels 3-0 (25-17, 25-11, 27-25) in their OUA quarter-final match-up.
Three-time CIS all-Canadian and 2008 OUA first-team all-star, Anastasia Danilova (Toronto, ON) again led the Blues in most offensive categories this season, including kills (200), total points (249) and points per game (4.45). Danilova was second in the OUA and fourth in the CIS in points per game, while being ranked first in conference and third in the country in serving aces.
2007-08 OUA all-stars Heather Bansley (Waterdown, ON), and Mila Miguel (Victoria, BC) will also play major roles in the Blues success this weekend.
"We are prepared and ready for the challenge this weekend", said Blues head coach Kristine Drakich. "Our team has had a great season and we're going to continue to do the things that we do well. We'll take it one step at a time as each match will be a tough one."
Christine Lamey (Ottawa, ON) will look to lead the defending OUA champions Ottawa Gee-Gees (15-4) into Toronto to claim their second title in as many years. The OUA's leading scorer, Lamey helped the Gee-Gees earn a berth in the Final Four when they defeated the York Lions in three straight sets (25-21, 25-17, 25-15).
From the OUA West, the division leading McMaster Marauders locked in their spot in the Final Four after knocking off the Western Mustangs, last Saturday afternoon (Feb 16). The Marauders are the only OUA team to have defeated both the Varsity Blues and the Gee-Gees this season. Posting a stellar 16-3 record, McMaster is poised and ready, and considered one of the favourites to win it all.
Finishing second in the west, the Waterloo Warriors (14-5) successfully clinched the last spot in the Final Four after grinding out a 3-1(25-15, 25-21, 18-25, 25-22) win over division rivals Laurier Golden Hawks. "It's been an incredible year for the team and they've worked hard to get here," said coach Gabriele Jobst. " We've been ranked in the top four all season and I'm just so proud to see the team earn their spot in the OUA championship this year. It's certainly well-deserved." The Warriors will be in tough on Friday and will rely on their heavy hitters Bojana Josipovic (Kitchener, ON) and Gabriella Lesniak (Hamilton, ON) as they look to upset the host squad.
OUA Semifinals
Friday, February 22
6:00 pm - Toronto (17-2) vs Waterloo (14-5)
8:00 pm - Ottawa (15-4) vs McMaster (16-3)
Saturday February 23
4:00 pm - Bronze Medal Match
6:00 pm - OUA Championship Match
* All games will be played the University of Toronto's Athletic Centre Sports Gym
(55 Harbord St. Toronto).
** All games will be webcast LIVE on SSN (The Sports Streaming Network), free of charge to viewers. Please visit www.oua.ca for all webcast information.
Official Sponsors of the OUA Women's Volleyball Final Four Championships: belairdirect., Wilson Sports Equipment of Canada, and Pizza Pizza
- OUA - (With files from Toronto Varsity Blues)
Michelle Church
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Tel: (905) 540-5156
Fax: (905) 574-2840
E-mail: michelle.church@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
