Teams eyeing berth in OUA Final Four ready for quarter-finals on Saturday
It was a dramatic conclusion to the 2014-15 women’s volleyball regular season, and there are no signs the excitement or intensity will be dialed down once the eight qualifying teams begin their quest for the cup on Saturday, Feb. 14 in the OUA playoff quarter-finals.
It was a dramatic conclusion to the 2014-15 women's volleyball regular season, and there are no signs the excitement or intensity will be dialed down once the eight qualifying teams begin their quest for the cup on Saturday, Feb. 14 in the OUA playoff quarter-finals.
The top four teams from each division have advanced to the playoffs, with the two highest seeds in each division hosting quarter-final games.
The quarter-finals are a one-game winner-take-all playoff with the four winners advancing to the OUA Final Four Championship next weekend, hosted by the highest remaining seed in the West Division.
East Division
(1) Toronto Varsity Blues vs. Queen's Gaels (4)
The No. 3-ranked Toronto Varsity Blues (18-1) were one set away from a perfect season before the No. 6 Ottawa Gee-Gees spoiled their party with a five-set win in the final game of the regular season.
The loss against Ottawa snapped an 18-game winning streak, and it came the day after Toronto was taken to five sets by the Ryerson Rams. In total, Toronto lost five sets in their final two games after losing just two in their first 16.
The playoffs, though, are a new season and Toronto is still considered the "team to beat" in OUA women's volleyball. The Varsity Blues led the conference in kills per set, assists per set, digs per set and blocks per set, and have several players in the top-five of major statistical categories.
Toronto right side hitter Jennifer Neilson finished second in OUA in hitting percentage, setter Madelyn Mandryk led the conference in assists per set, and left side hitter Charlotte Sider ranked fourth in kills per set.
The Queen's Gaels (12-7) dropped both their meetings this season against Toronto, but were one of only two teams to win a set against Toronto before the final weekend of the season.
A very strong defensive team, the Gaels trailed only Toronto in digs per set, and much of that had to do with the play of libero Becky Wilson, who finished third in the conference in digs per set. Outside hitter Brett Hagarty led the Gaels and ranked 12th in the conference with 2.67 kills per set.
(2) Ottawa Gee-Gees vs. (3) Ryerson Rams
Thanks to their win against Toronto, the Ottawa Gee-Gees (16-3) carry the longest winning streak into the OUA playoffs, having won their past eight games in a row. Two of the Gee-Gees three losses came in the team's first two games of the season, and since then Ottawa has been on a mission.
As a team, Ottawa ranked second in kills per set, assists per set, and hitting percentage, and led the conference in service aces per set.
In their two games against Ottawa, the Ryerson Rams (13-6) were unable to win a single set suffering two 3-0 losses.
Still, Ryerson is a very talented team with a roster that boasts OUA's leader in kills per set and hitting percentage. Outside hitter Veronica Livingston led the conference with 3.80 kills per set, and middle back Theanna Vernon's .349 hitting percentage was also tops in the league. It's no surprise, then, that Ryerson as a team finished top three in the league in both of those statistical categories.
The Rams have not beaten Ottawa this season, but as they showed in their five-set loss against Toronto, they certainly have the potential to hang with the beasts of the East.
(1) McMaster Marauders vs. (4) Western Mustangs
The defending OUA champions, the McMaster Marauders (15-4) would play host to the OUA Final Four Championship if they can get past the Western Mustangs (7-12) in their quarter-final matchup.
After starting the season a respectable 5-3, the Marauders blew through their competition, winning 10 of their final 11 games with the lone loss coming to the Queen's Gaels on Feb. 6.
The Marauders are one of the top serving teams in the conference, ranking third with 1.93 service aces per set. McMaster also ranks fourth in hitting percentage and fifth in kills per set; Outside hitter Joanna Jedrzejewska led the team and ranked third in OUA in kills per set with 3.56.
The Mustangs suffered a straight-set loss to McMaster in the first meeting, but pushed the Marauders to the brink in the second matchup of the season. The Mustangs fell in five sets, including a fourth set that wasn't settled until the 30th point.
Western is sixth in kills per set, narrowly trailing the fifth-ranked Marauders, and will need a strong performance from its top player, rookie outside hitter Kelsey Veltman, who led the OUA in blocks per set with 1.19 in just her first season.
(2) Guelph Gryphons vs. Brock Badgers (3)
Expect a close game when the Guelph Gryphons (11-8) and the Brock Badgers (8-11) take the court.
The two teams split their season series with Guelph winning the first meeting 3-1 in November, only to have the Badgers get revenge with an exciting five-set win when the new-year rolled around.
To be successful, Brock will need to take advantage on serves. The Badgers finished fifth in the conference in service aces per set, while the Gryphons finished 13th, second last in the league and lowest of any playoff team.
What Guelph lacks on the serve, it makes up for on defence. The Gryphons head into the playoffs second in the league in blocks per set and are sixth in digs per set.
Both teams have a player who finished top five in OUA in digs per set. Brock libero Karlinna O'Leary led the conference with 5.28, while Guelph libero Kristen Almhjell finished fifth with 4.42.
The four quarter-final winners advance to the OUA Final Four tournament beginning next Friday, Feb. 20 and will be hosted by the highest remaining seed from the West Division.
A full OUA playoff schedule is available here.
Every quarter-finals game will be broadcast live on OUA.tv, so be sure to tune in for some exciting playoff action as the teams begin their quest for the cup!
