February 24, 2010
MARAUDERS HOST OUA FINAL FOUR WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
HAMILTON, Ont. - Steeltown will be known for the next two weekends as Volleyballtown, as far as Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is concerned.
The McMaster Marauders will play host to both OUA Final Four volleyball championships, presented by Mikasa and AMJ Campbell Van Lines, beginning with the women's tournament this Friday and Saturday.
The Marauders, OUA's only nationally-ranked team at No. 10, finished on top of the regular season standings with a 16-3 record. With their quarter-final victory over the Waterloo Warriors last Saturday, McMaster won the right to host three other teams looking to capture the OUA championship banner.
In fact, the two top teams in each division will be on hand in Hamilton, Ont., including the Western Mustangs (14-5), Toronto Varsity Blues (14-5), and Queen's Gaels (13-6). All but Queen's were at the Final Four championship last year, won by the host York Lions.
McMaster will entertain Queen's in the opening semifinal beginning on Friday at 6 p.m. In their only meeting in the regular season on Nov. 6, 2009 at McMaster's Burridge Gym, the host Marauders prevailed 3-1 (25-13, 22-25, 25-11, 25-22). McMaster' Sarah Kiernan (Hamilton, Ont.) earned a game-high 16 kills and 22 points in the match. Defensively, three Marauders earned double-digits in digs with Jennifer Holt (Hamilton, Ont.), Kaila Janssen (Oshawa, Ont.) and Larissa Puhach (Burlington, Ont.) combining for 34. Elyssa Heller (Highland Park, Ill.) led all Queen's players with 11 kills and 12 points.
In the nightcap, the Mustangs battle the Varsity Blues in a rematch of last year's bronze medal game, won by Western in five sets. More is on the line this time around, as both will be looking for a trip to the gold medal game that eluded them in 2009. In their only regular season meeting at Western on Oct. 25, 2009, the Varsity Blues prevailed 3-1 (25-16, 20-25, 27-25, 25-18). Heather Bansley (Waterdown, Ont.), Karlee Diesing (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Kristina Valjas (Toronto) were triple threats for the Varsity Blues in this game, earning 25, 18, 17 kills, respectively. Western's Sarah Lowry and Elaine Screaton, both of Calgary, combined for 21 kills each.
The Marauders have defeated all three semifinal teams during the regular season, and should have great confidence on their home court. But they did split their season series with divisional rival Western, meaning they should take nothing for granted. The semifinal victors compete for the OUA championship Saturday beginning at 6:30 p.m. The semifinal losers compete for bronze earlier in the day at 4 p.m. All games can be seen live on SSNCanada.ca.
The OUA champion will compete at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) women's volleyball championship hosted by the University of Alberta in Edmonton from March 5-7.
As for the McMaster men, they earned a bye into the OUA Final Four championship after posting an OUA-best 17-3 record. The No. 8 nationally-ranked Marauders host three other semifinalists on March 5-6.
ABOUT ONTARIO UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and its 19 member institutions are developing Champions For Life. Giving 9,000 student-athletes the opportunity to excel academically and on the playing field, while preparing for life after university. For more information, visit OUA.ca.
The McMaster Marauders will play host to both OUA Final Four volleyball championships, presented by Mikasa and AMJ Campbell Van Lines, beginning with the women's tournament this Friday and Saturday.
The Marauders, OUA's only nationally-ranked team at No. 10, finished on top of the regular season standings with a 16-3 record. With their quarter-final victory over the Waterloo Warriors last Saturday, McMaster won the right to host three other teams looking to capture the OUA championship banner.
In fact, the two top teams in each division will be on hand in Hamilton, Ont., including the Western Mustangs (14-5), Toronto Varsity Blues (14-5), and Queen's Gaels (13-6). All but Queen's were at the Final Four championship last year, won by the host York Lions.
McMaster will entertain Queen's in the opening semifinal beginning on Friday at 6 p.m. In their only meeting in the regular season on Nov. 6, 2009 at McMaster's Burridge Gym, the host Marauders prevailed 3-1 (25-13, 22-25, 25-11, 25-22). McMaster' Sarah Kiernan (Hamilton, Ont.) earned a game-high 16 kills and 22 points in the match. Defensively, three Marauders earned double-digits in digs with Jennifer Holt (Hamilton, Ont.), Kaila Janssen (Oshawa, Ont.) and Larissa Puhach (Burlington, Ont.) combining for 34. Elyssa Heller (Highland Park, Ill.) led all Queen's players with 11 kills and 12 points.
In the nightcap, the Mustangs battle the Varsity Blues in a rematch of last year's bronze medal game, won by Western in five sets. More is on the line this time around, as both will be looking for a trip to the gold medal game that eluded them in 2009. In their only regular season meeting at Western on Oct. 25, 2009, the Varsity Blues prevailed 3-1 (25-16, 20-25, 27-25, 25-18). Heather Bansley (Waterdown, Ont.), Karlee Diesing (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Kristina Valjas (Toronto) were triple threats for the Varsity Blues in this game, earning 25, 18, 17 kills, respectively. Western's Sarah Lowry and Elaine Screaton, both of Calgary, combined for 21 kills each.
The Marauders have defeated all three semifinal teams during the regular season, and should have great confidence on their home court. But they did split their season series with divisional rival Western, meaning they should take nothing for granted. The semifinal victors compete for the OUA championship Saturday beginning at 6:30 p.m. The semifinal losers compete for bronze earlier in the day at 4 p.m. All games can be seen live on SSNCanada.ca.
The OUA champion will compete at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) women's volleyball championship hosted by the University of Alberta in Edmonton from March 5-7.
As for the McMaster men, they earned a bye into the OUA Final Four championship after posting an OUA-best 17-3 record. The No. 8 nationally-ranked Marauders host three other semifinalists on March 5-6.
– OUA –
ABOUT ONTARIO UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and its 19 member institutions are developing Champions For Life. Giving 9,000 student-athletes the opportunity to excel academically and on the playing field, while preparing for life after university. For more information, visit OUA.ca.
