February 26, 2010
MARAUDERS, VARSITY BLUES BATTLE FOR WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CROWN
HAMILTON, Ont. - In front of a boisterous home crowd, the top seeded and No. 10 nationally-ranked McMaster Marauders women's volleyball team secured their fourth consecutive trip to the OUA final with a 3-1 (25-15, 25-21, 18-25, 25-13) victory over the fourth-seeded Queen's Gaels in semifinal No. 1 of the 2010 OUA Final Four women's volleyball championship on Friday night.
The Final Four is presented by Mikasa and AMJ Campbell Van Lines.
Both teams showed some nerves in the early going exchanging errors, but the Marauders regrouped and where ahead 8-5 by the first technical time out in set one. It was rookie Kailee Stock (Newmarket, Ont.) showing some veteran poise in the early going scoring three of McMaster's first eight points. A couple of Queen's errors out of the timeout gave the Marauders a 10-6 lead. McMaster continued to push ahead and found themselves ahead 16-11 at the second technical timeout. Stock then served the Marauders to an 18-11 lead, and a Larissa Puhach (Burlington, Ont.) kill gave the Marauders a commanding 19-12 lead that they would not relinquish, taking the set 25-15.
The Marauders opened set two with a 4-0 lead until Katie Matthews (Aurora, Ont.) got Queen's on the board with a kill. A Natalie Gray (Oshawa, Ont.) ace made it 5-2, but another Puhach kill sent the teams into the first technical timeout with McMaster ahead, 8-3. A couple of Loran Button (Newcastle, Ont.) kills followed allowing the Gaels to start to chip into the McMaster lead. Queen's then looked to OUA all-star Gray, but the Marauders had an answer for her. That is when Matthews and Elyssa Heller (Highland Park, Ill.) stepped up with consecutive blocks to reduce the Marauder lead to four, 19-14. Puhach looked like she had locked up the set wit a kill that made it 22-17 in favour of the home side, but a block from Matthews and Gray made it 23-20. Gray followed with a kill to make it 23-21, but a block from Genevieve Dumas (North Bay, Ont.) who subbed in late in set put the Marauders ahead in the match two sets to none.
Facing a two set deficit Queen's scored first in set three. The teams then traded points for much of the early part of the set with McMaster up 8-7 at the first technical timeout. Coming out of the timeout the Queen's offence started to find its groove. A Matthews kill gave the Gaels their first lead and an Allison Grand (Toronto) kill increased their lead to 13-10. Another Matthews kill increased the Queen's lead to six points, 16-10, at the second technical timeout. Out of the timeout the momentum swung McMaster's way. A big kill by Margot Randall (Oakville, Ont.) cut the Queen's lead to four, 18-14, and a block by setter OUA all-star and fifth-year senior Jenn Holt and Shannon McRobert (Whitby, Ont.) made it 18-16. Both teams went back and forth for the next few points until a Heller and Matthews block moved them ahead 23-18. The Gaels would hold on to take the set.
The fourth set started much like the previous with the teams exchanging points in the early going. Tied at 6-6, Colleen Ogilvie (Calgary) had back-to-back kills giving Queen's the early 8-7 lead at the first technical timeout. The set started to shift it McMaster's favour with a big block by Puhach and McRobert giving the Marauders a 13-11 advantage. A McRobert kill increased the MAC lead to 15-11 and they headed to the second technical timeout up 16-11. Lauren Skelly, who subbed in mid way through the set, found the floor to make it 18-13. Holt and Sarah Kiernan (Hamilton, Ont.) added another big block to build the McMaster lead to 19-13 forcing Queen's to call timeout. It proved to be too little, too late as the Marauders moved to match point. A Kaila Janssen (Oshawa, Ont.) kill from the back row found the back of the court to seal the return trip to the championship match for the Marauders.
Megan Nederveen (Dundas, Ont.) was selected as the Mikasa player of the match for the Marauders for her stellar defence effort. She had finished the match with 15 digs. McRobert had a match-high 13 points on eight kills, six block assists, one solo block and ace. Puhach (nine kills, 16 digs, one block) and Janssen (seven kills, one ace, four block assists) each added 10 points. Holt directed the offence with 37 assists and added four kills and ace of her own in the win.
Matthews was named the Mikasa player of the match for Queen's contributing 11 points on eight kills and six block assists. Ogilvie also scored 11 points on seven kills, two aces and a block.
In the fifth and deciding set of the other semifinal match, Toronto Varsity Blues fourth-year outside hitter Karlee Diesing (Coquitlam, B.C.) smashed four kills to lead the Varsity Blues to a 15-12 victory over the Western Mustangs at the Burridge Gymnasium.
In fitting fashion, Diesing finished out the fifth set with a service ace that hit the net tape and fell between two Mustang defenders. Diesing finished the game with 13 kills and 21 digs and was named the Mikasa player of the match for Toronto.
The Varsity Blues, the first place team in the OUA East with a 14-5 record in the regular season, will face the host McMaster Marauders, the first place finishers in the OUA West with a 16-3 record in the OUA final on Saturday at the Burridge Gymnasium.
In the first set, Toronto took an 8-6 lead into the first technical timeout. Western rallied to take a 16-15 advantage coming into the second technical timeout. Western outside hitter Elaine Screaton (Calgary) launched three service aces to give Western a 22-17 lead late in the match before Western third year, middle blocker Sarah Johnston (Stratford, Ont.) closed out the set with a tip over a Toronto blocker to give Western the 20-25 victory.
The second set Toronto took the first point and never relinquished the lead earning a 25-20 win to even the match.
In set three, the University of Western Ontario opened with a 15-9 lead, but Toronto battled back to tie the score at 18-18 on the strength of two Karlee Diesing kills, and a Shannon Rossall (Calgary) and Heather Bansley (Waterdown, Ont.) block. Toronto would outscore Western 7-3 to close out the match 25-21 and take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five contest.
In the fourth set, Toronto opened up with 6-2 lead, but Western rallied to score five consecutive points to tied the game at seven coming into the first technical time-out. Toronto again surged, with OUA first-team all-star Kristina Valjas (Toronto) pounding out five kills, to give the Varsity Blues a 16-13 edge coming into the second technical time-out. Western again closed the gap to tie the score at 17-17. With the score knotted at 20-20, Western would score the next five points highlighted by two double blocks by Sarah Farrell (London, Ont.) and setter Sarah Lowry (Calgary) to give Western the 20-25 victory.
Western freshman and OUA West libero of the year Claire Morrow (London, Ont.) was named the Mizuno player of the game for the Mustangs. Morrow had 17 digs for the Mustangs.
Western fourth year setter and OUA West first-team all-star Jenna Thompson (St. Marys, Ont.) finished the match with 43 assists. Carleigh Whitaker (Sharon, Ont.) had 15 kills and 21 digs. Elaine Screaton added 10 kills and 21 digs for the Mustangs.
Toronto OUA first-team all-star and fifth-year senior Valjas had a game-high 17 kills. Fellow OUA first-team all-star and fifth-year senior Bansley added 15 kills and 22 digs.
Western will face Queen's tomorrow in the bronze medal game Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Burridge Gymnasium.
Toronto will match up against the host Marauders in the gold medal game Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the McMaster Athletics and Recreation website at www.marauders.ca. Games can be seen on SSNCanada.ca.
Courtesy of McMaster University Department of Athletics & Recreation
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 Final Four is presented by Mikasa and AMJ Campbell Van Lines.
Both teams showed some nerves in the early going exchanging errors, but the Marauders regrouped and where ahead 8-5 by the first technical time out in set one. It was rookie Kailee Stock (Newmarket, Ont.) showing some veteran poise in the early going scoring three of McMaster's first eight points. A couple of Queen's errors out of the timeout gave the Marauders a 10-6 lead. McMaster continued to push ahead and found themselves ahead 16-11 at the second technical timeout. Stock then served the Marauders to an 18-11 lead, and a Larissa Puhach (Burlington, Ont.) kill gave the Marauders a commanding 19-12 lead that they would not relinquish, taking the set 25-15.
The Marauders opened set two with a 4-0 lead until Katie Matthews (Aurora, Ont.) got Queen's on the board with a kill. A Natalie Gray (Oshawa, Ont.) ace made it 5-2, but another Puhach kill sent the teams into the first technical timeout with McMaster ahead, 8-3. A couple of Loran Button (Newcastle, Ont.) kills followed allowing the Gaels to start to chip into the McMaster lead. Queen's then looked to OUA all-star Gray, but the Marauders had an answer for her. That is when Matthews and Elyssa Heller (Highland Park, Ill.) stepped up with consecutive blocks to reduce the Marauder lead to four, 19-14. Puhach looked like she had locked up the set wit a kill that made it 22-17 in favour of the home side, but a block from Matthews and Gray made it 23-20. Gray followed with a kill to make it 23-21, but a block from Genevieve Dumas (North Bay, Ont.) who subbed in late in set put the Marauders ahead in the match two sets to none.
Facing a two set deficit Queen's scored first in set three. The teams then traded points for much of the early part of the set with McMaster up 8-7 at the first technical timeout. Coming out of the timeout the Queen's offence started to find its groove. A Matthews kill gave the Gaels their first lead and an Allison Grand (Toronto) kill increased their lead to 13-10. Another Matthews kill increased the Queen's lead to six points, 16-10, at the second technical timeout. Out of the timeout the momentum swung McMaster's way. A big kill by Margot Randall (Oakville, Ont.) cut the Queen's lead to four, 18-14, and a block by setter OUA all-star and fifth-year senior Jenn Holt and Shannon McRobert (Whitby, Ont.) made it 18-16. Both teams went back and forth for the next few points until a Heller and Matthews block moved them ahead 23-18. The Gaels would hold on to take the set.
The fourth set started much like the previous with the teams exchanging points in the early going. Tied at 6-6, Colleen Ogilvie (Calgary) had back-to-back kills giving Queen's the early 8-7 lead at the first technical timeout. The set started to shift it McMaster's favour with a big block by Puhach and McRobert giving the Marauders a 13-11 advantage. A McRobert kill increased the MAC lead to 15-11 and they headed to the second technical timeout up 16-11. Lauren Skelly, who subbed in mid way through the set, found the floor to make it 18-13. Holt and Sarah Kiernan (Hamilton, Ont.) added another big block to build the McMaster lead to 19-13 forcing Queen's to call timeout. It proved to be too little, too late as the Marauders moved to match point. A Kaila Janssen (Oshawa, Ont.) kill from the back row found the back of the court to seal the return trip to the championship match for the Marauders.
Megan Nederveen (Dundas, Ont.) was selected as the Mikasa player of the match for the Marauders for her stellar defence effort. She had finished the match with 15 digs. McRobert had a match-high 13 points on eight kills, six block assists, one solo block and ace. Puhach (nine kills, 16 digs, one block) and Janssen (seven kills, one ace, four block assists) each added 10 points. Holt directed the offence with 37 assists and added four kills and ace of her own in the win.
Matthews was named the Mikasa player of the match for Queen's contributing 11 points on eight kills and six block assists. Ogilvie also scored 11 points on seven kills, two aces and a block.
In the fifth and deciding set of the other semifinal match, Toronto Varsity Blues fourth-year outside hitter Karlee Diesing (Coquitlam, B.C.) smashed four kills to lead the Varsity Blues to a 15-12 victory over the Western Mustangs at the Burridge Gymnasium.
In fitting fashion, Diesing finished out the fifth set with a service ace that hit the net tape and fell between two Mustang defenders. Diesing finished the game with 13 kills and 21 digs and was named the Mikasa player of the match for Toronto.
The Varsity Blues, the first place team in the OUA East with a 14-5 record in the regular season, will face the host McMaster Marauders, the first place finishers in the OUA West with a 16-3 record in the OUA final on Saturday at the Burridge Gymnasium.
In the first set, Toronto took an 8-6 lead into the first technical timeout. Western rallied to take a 16-15 advantage coming into the second technical timeout. Western outside hitter Elaine Screaton (Calgary) launched three service aces to give Western a 22-17 lead late in the match before Western third year, middle blocker Sarah Johnston (Stratford, Ont.) closed out the set with a tip over a Toronto blocker to give Western the 20-25 victory.
The second set Toronto took the first point and never relinquished the lead earning a 25-20 win to even the match.
In set three, the University of Western Ontario opened with a 15-9 lead, but Toronto battled back to tie the score at 18-18 on the strength of two Karlee Diesing kills, and a Shannon Rossall (Calgary) and Heather Bansley (Waterdown, Ont.) block. Toronto would outscore Western 7-3 to close out the match 25-21 and take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five contest.
In the fourth set, Toronto opened up with 6-2 lead, but Western rallied to score five consecutive points to tied the game at seven coming into the first technical time-out. Toronto again surged, with OUA first-team all-star Kristina Valjas (Toronto) pounding out five kills, to give the Varsity Blues a 16-13 edge coming into the second technical time-out. Western again closed the gap to tie the score at 17-17. With the score knotted at 20-20, Western would score the next five points highlighted by two double blocks by Sarah Farrell (London, Ont.) and setter Sarah Lowry (Calgary) to give Western the 20-25 victory.
Western freshman and OUA West libero of the year Claire Morrow (London, Ont.) was named the Mizuno player of the game for the Mustangs. Morrow had 17 digs for the Mustangs.
Western fourth year setter and OUA West first-team all-star Jenna Thompson (St. Marys, Ont.) finished the match with 43 assists. Carleigh Whitaker (Sharon, Ont.) had 15 kills and 21 digs. Elaine Screaton added 10 kills and 21 digs for the Mustangs.
Toronto OUA first-team all-star and fifth-year senior Valjas had a game-high 17 kills. Fellow OUA first-team all-star and fifth-year senior Bansley added 15 kills and 22 digs.
Western will face Queen's tomorrow in the bronze medal game Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Burridge Gymnasium.
Toronto will match up against the host Marauders in the gold medal game Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the McMaster Athletics and Recreation website at www.marauders.ca. Games can be seen on SSNCanada.ca.
Courtesy of McMaster University Department of Athletics & Recreation
– 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.
