CIS women's volleyball Friday roundup: Spartans beat No. 1 Thunderbirds in five-setter

The Waterloo women's volleyball team fell in straight sets (25-23, 25-20, 25-17) to the Brock Badgers on Friday night in what was their final regular season game of 2012.  The Warriors will miss the playoffs for the second straight season with a 7-11 record.  Brock sits in a tie for fourth place with a 10-7 record.

The Badgers slipped past the Warriors in the first set 25-23 and didn't look back as they cruised to take the second set 25-20 and third set 25-17.

Rachel Roorda (St. George, Ont.) led all players offensively with 11 kills on just 17 attempts for a 65 kill percentage.  Rookie Lauren Stirling chipped in with seven kills for the Badgers while Jennifer Mckenzie (Surrey, B.C.) had six.  Setter Ally Fast (St. Catharines, Ont.) had 23 assists in the win.

For the Warriors, Laura Klein (Kitchener) killed the ball nine times while adding 12 digs.  Natasha Spaling (Drayton) and Danielle Kamps (Vineland Station) also contributed offensively with six kills each.  Libero Katie Spack (Ottawa) was busy on the night digging the ball 16 times while Kayla Ng (London) earned 28 assists in the loss.

The difference in the game was the errors as Waterloo had 28 while Brock kept it much cleaner on their side of the net with only 11.

Playoff matches are yet to be determined based on results in the final weekend of action.

Prior to the game the Warriors honoured their graduating seniors; Kayla Ng (London), Lainna Buch (Keswick), Katie Spack (Ottawa) and Laura Klein (Kitchener) who have all worn the black and gold with pride throughout their university careers.  Gaby Jobst and the rest of the Waterloo coaching staff wish their seniors success in all of their future endeavors.

Source: Waterloo Sports Info

THUNDER BAY, ON - In an exciting and hard fought match, the women's volleyball team could not quite get over the hill against the RMC Paladins, losing 3-1 on Friday evening (23-25, 25-22, 19-25, 22-25). But the loss did not come from lacking of trying. The T-Wolves had 32 more attacks than the Paladins (172 to 140) and seemed ever so close to winning several long rallies that saw bodies fly, sweat pour and the 250+ fans in the Thunderdome on the edge of their seats.

Lakehead was led by Michelle Cournoyer (Fort Frances) with 13 points (10 kills, 3 blocks, .364 attack %). Claire Morrison was another big contributor with 11 kills (.300 attack %) and 4 digs. Libero Breanne Hilhorst had 13 digs, while the setting was split between Sara Hudson (14 assists, 6 kills) and Vanessa Masters (11 assists, 3 kills).

RMC was led by Melissa McCoy with 14 points (12 kills, 2 service aces) and 6 digs, while Norah Collins had 11 points (10 kills, 1 ace). RMC's  'twin towers', those being 6'2" twin sisters Mallory and Chelsey Litjens combined for 14 kills, 8 blocks and 1 ace.

In the end it was not to be, as the Paladins came up with the big plays down the stretch. They had no shortage of motivation, as they needed to win on Friday to have a chance at making the playoffs, which will be on the line in tomorrow's match. It will be up to Lakehead to play the 'spoiler' role, and finish their season on a high note. Tomorrow will be not only the end of the season for the T-Wolves, but also the end of a career for 5th year veteran Michelle Cournoyer who will be graduated in traditional 'senior's night' fashion.

Coach Chris Green:

"Full marks for RMC - coming on the road and playing hard.  On our side it was about execution on crucial points. Really the one aspect that hurts us all year, the crucial opportunities. We get an over-bump and we don't block it. We get a free ball, and we do not hit according to our plan. If our target is to hit line over the shorter blocker then we MUST do it, not hit the big blocker. I guess we still are learning this. I have to give full credit to Vanessa Masters who came in and ran a great offence, provided us with good blocking and an extra attacker.  Claire Morrison, great game from her. She has been struggling as of late but now in 2 games she has come in and done some amazing things. Sarah Reid served and dug well. Michelle Cournoyer,well what can I say, she has become such a force. Just works so hard. Tomorrow will be the same kind of game. I think both teams are evenly matched and the team that capitalizes on its chances will be the one smiling tomorrow. We must serve tougher and we cannot commit 12 service errors. I mean with only 3 aces that ratio better be 1 to 1.  Good defence though, 172 total attacks and 140 from RMC, that means this was a long and exciting game.  We regroup and get back at it tomorrow. I expect us to be better, sharper and finish those opportunities."

The teams will rematch at 7 pm Saturday evening.

Game coverage will be available via SSN Canada; www.ssncanada.ca/games

Source: Lakehead Sports Info

The No. 10 ranked Manitoba Bisons women’s volleyball team defeated the Saskatchewan Huskies on Friday, February 10, at the Investors Group Athletic Centre. The Bisons team won in four sets (25-15, 25-19, 23-25, 25-15) against the unranked Huskies. 

Manitoba were in complete control the first two sets, but a Huskies win in the third set forced them to adjust to Saskatchewan’s tips and rolls to help finish the game. With the win, Manitoba clinches a Canada West playoff spot with a 10-9 record, while Saskatchewan drops to 0-19 so far this conference season.

Manitoba prepared for Saskatchewan’s dumps and free balls directed at Bisons setter Christina Souza. But Souza was given a few chances to swing quick left-handed hits from the setting position and helping the team total seven aces from the serving line. Left side Kristi Hunter and middle player Tricia Mayba led the team in kills, but it was their big plays on the right side that hit the floor without a even a touch by Huskies arms. 

Bisons coach Ken Bently said they shouldn’t of lost the third set, but the everyone played fine.

“It’s just a tough time of the year, a tough time to play. You got to get out of your own way a little bit more, but it’s fine,” he said. “A few balls were going to hit the floor regardless. You give something up, you’re going to get something somewhere else, no defense is perfect. It’s just like in any sport.”

Candice Huesser and Laura Beadle were able to get the defense working in the front row. They stalled the Bison win in the second set with a few stuff blocks that even a raucous, face-painted, home crowd enjoyed. When Beadle stuffed the Bisons Danika Picklyk, a heckler yelled through his megaphone, “Okay, we’ll give you that. That was pretty nice.” Her blocks held off the Bisons in the third set and she totaled seven for the game. 

Huskie setter Erin Foster wasn’t given much of a chance to do her job. The Saskatchewan defense couldn’t usually get a descent pass up, which were favours to a swinging Hunter or towering middle players Mayba and Emily Erickson. It was the Huskie blockers that managed to keep the game competitive, leading the way for the rest of the team, but still not enough to win the game.

The two teams meet again for the final conference regular season match of the 2011-12 season on Saturday, February 11 at 6 p.m. CT at the Investors Group Athletic Centre.

Source: Manitoba Sports Info

LANGLEY, British Columbia – The No. 5 Trinity Western women’s volleyball knocked off the No. 1 UBC Thunderbirds 3-2 (25-23, 19-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-9) Friday at the Langley Events Centre in what was the Spartans first five-set win of the regular season.

The Spartans took an early lead in the fifth set and then with the score 7-6 for Trinity Western, the home side pulled away with a 5-1 set-changing run en route to winning the set, thanks in large part to a .467 hitting percentage in the final set, and the match.

Trinity Western, who was coming off a road weekend in which they lost back-to-back games against then unranked Calgary, never trailed in sets as they beat a team ranked either first or second for the fourth time in five tries this year. The loss is just the second of the season for UBC – a team that has already clinched top spot in the Canada West standings – who also fell in five sets to Alberta earlier in the year.

The Spartans were led by Royal Richardson, who had 16 kills and nine digs, Kelci French, who had 13 kills and 16 digs, and Nicole Bazin, who had 10 kills and two blocks while hitting .450.

For the Thunderbirds, it was Kyla Richey leading the way with 15 kills, 12 digs and four blocks, while Rayel Quiring had nine kills, eight digs, three blocks and two aces and Lisa Barclay had 10 kills and four digs.

Trinity Western, who had already clinched home court advantage for the first round of the playoffs, improved to 13-6 and with a win Saturday night can capture second place in the conference. The loss drops UBC to 17-2. The Spartans have now won three in a row against UBC in regular season matches.

“This was good volleyball and this is the way I want to end our league,” said Spartans coach Ryan Hofer. “We’re playing good volleyball at the end to prepare us for the playoffs. UBC is a fantastic team and we went heads up tonight.

“We did a good job of connecting with the right hitters. We cleaned up our passing a little bit. We were able to get the ball to our wing hitters and they did a good job of attacking their block. They’re a good blocking team and we had to be smart about how we hit the ball.”

The first set started exactly as one would expect in a game featuring two of the top teams in the country. From start to finish there was never more than a three-point differential and that didn’t happen until late, when the T-Birds took a 20-17 advantage.

With the score 17-15 for Trinity Western, UBC went on what appeared to be a set-turning 5-0 run. With an ace and a kill from Quiring, the T-Birds had the biggest lead of the set and seemingly momentum.

But the Spartans rallied and after a Bazin block managed to retake the lead at 23-22. Then a Richardson kill went off the UBC block to give Trinity Western a two-point and, after the teams traded points, the Spartans took the set on a UBC attack that went just outside on the left side.

In the second set, the T-Birds raced out to and early 6-2 lead and never trailed in a set that was UBC-slanted throughout.

The T-Birds built their lead to as much as six points, at 11-5 and then again at 13-7, before the Spartans started to claw back. Trinity Western got within two points on three occasions but each time UBC cut off the rally with a point of its own to keep the Spartans from getting any closer.

After Trinity Western closed to gap to two points at 17-15, the T-Birds went on a 5-1 run, capped by a Barclay kill that gave UBC a 22-16 lead and one Trinity Western couldn’t rally from. The teams swapped points down the stretch as the T-Birds closed the set out ahead by six, 25-19.

In the third set, the T-Birds ran out to a 9-5 lead and for a while it looked like a repeat of the second set with UBC maintaining control for the majority of the opening half.

While the Spartans tied it 9-9 after an Alicia Perrin ace – one of three she had on the night – the T-Birds didn’t allow Trinity Western any closer. That is, until late.

With the score tied 18-18, after the Spartans Carly Hamilton notched an ace, the Spartans garnered their first lead since a 2-1 advantage after a Richardson kill made it 20-19 for the home side

From there, it was Richardson putting on a show.

The Spartans second year outside hitter got four of Trinity Western’s next five points, amounting for five kills on Trinity Western’s final six points, as she led the Spartans to a 25-23 win. A UBC attack error gave Trinity Western the win.

Richardson finished the set with six kills to lead the Spartans while Richey had five kills for the T-Birds. The T-Birds were plagued by serving errors as they had five in the third set alone.

The fourth set saw UBC come out flying, staking itself to a 6-0 lead and never trailed.

The Spartans got the game within one point on two occasions, making it 10-9 and then 16-15, but UBC never let them any closer.

With the score 18-16 for UBC, Shanice Marcelle earned a block that sparked a T-Birds run that saw UBC outscore the Spartans 7-4 down the stretch to earn a four-point win, 25-21.

Despite hitting just .125 in the set, the Spartans hit only .059 themselves and UBC capitalized. With three blocks in the set and three aces, the T-Birds sent the match to the fifth set.

In the fifth set, the Spartans took an early 2-1 lead and were never behind the entire way. With the score 7-6 for Trinity Western, the Spartans went on a 5-1 run, sparked by a Chelsea Wand kill, that blew open the set. From there, Trinity Western kept pushing as they took the set 15-9 after a kill from Richardson.

Game Notes – UBC outblocked TWU 10-4…UBC hit .231 compared to TWU who hit .216…TWU had 56 digs to UBC’s 53…UBC had eight aces to TWU’s six.

Source: Trinity Western Sports Info