Games in Review: Queen's at Ryerson
Women's Game Recap
The Queen's Gaels travelled to Toronto to play the Ryerson Rams this afternoon in OUA volleyball action. The Rams got off to a terrible start down 7-1 in the first set. Of Queen's first seven points, six of them were Ryerson errors: four balls hit into the net, a double touch and a net touch.
The Rams fought back to 7-4 but another two attacking errors put the Rams down by five. Ryerson lost their confidence and every ball over the next for the next few points were all tips. When the Rams did finally get the ball back, Queen's Julie Lockwood (6) ran a quick and easily converted the first ball into a kill. Timeout called by Ryerson with the score 15-5 in favour of the away team.
Whatever head coach Dustin Reid said in that timeout seemed to work as Ryerson went on a four point run to bring the scores to 15-9. Queen's then calls a timeout to regroup. Queen's momentum was regained as middle Katie Matthews (13) shuts down a Rams quick attempt to bring the score to 17-10. The rest of the set was all in favour of the Gaels with a final score of 25-14.
Queen's got of to another great start in the second set up 16-9 going into the technical timeout. The Rams did fight back. Ryerson Jessica Broad (8) put up a big block and shut down Queen's Larna Button's offside attack bringing the Rams to within three, 20-17 in favour of the Gaels. This would be the closest Ryerson would come as Queen's edged closer and closer to taking the set. Colleen Ogilvie (7) ended the set with a huge cross court kill on a very sharp angle that landed in front of the attack line. 25-20 Queen's.
The third set started off exactly like the previous two. Two hitting errors from Ryerson helped Queen's to easily pull away with a 5-0 lead before Rams head coach called a timeout. The Rams looked like they weren't trying anymore. Even when Jessica Broad (8) had an easy kill setup that wasn't blocked at all by Queen's, she didn't put much effort into her attack allowing the Gaels to easily dig the ball. A combination of solo blocks and aces from Jessica Broad (8) with a little help from Queen's service errors and two great digs by Ryerson libero Sara Burtwell (4) brings the score to 19-18 Queen's.
A service ace from the Ryerson setter Haley Wolfenden (1) followed by Queen's attacking error put the Rams in the lead for the first time today. The two teams go back and forth until Gaels middle Katie Matthews (13) puts the final ball away with a middle attack to end the set 25-23. Queen's wins 3-0.
Men's Game Recap
Going into this afternoon's men's volleyball game, we expected Queen's to easily defeat the Rams. The Gaels are third in the OUA while Ryerson is fighting for the last playoff spot hoping to stay alive and make it to the post-season.
The first set saw the Rams up 4-1 thanks to service aces, and a great double block from Chris McLaughlin (1) and Roman Kabanov (12). The Queen's men went on a four point run bringing it to 5-4 and taking the lead. Ryerson time out.
Its important to note that this point that the ceiling in Kerr Hall at Ryerson University is fairly low for CIS level volleyball. While it didn't come into play at all during the women's game, the harder serving and hitting of the men's game combined with the low ceiling makes passing at Ryerson harder than at other gyms.
Today, the individual putting most balls into the ceiling was Rams libero Anthony Kentris (2). The Gaels were beating the Rams 16-12 when Kentris put his third pass into the ceiling. This did go both ways. Ryerson's Greg McDonald (11) received a service ace from a Queen's player unable to control the ball and put it into the ceiling. Queen's went on to win the set 25-20.
Ryerson was leading in the second set, until a fake quick to pipe brought Queen's the lead at 9-8. After a few points back and forth, Ryerson responded with its own fake quick to pipe play which allowed Chris McLaughlin (1) to tip over the Queen's triple block bringing the score to 12-10 Rams. In the second set Rams head coach Mirek Porosa chose to bench his libero in favour of #6 Milad Chitan. The low ceiling was not friendly to the new libero either, as Chitan lost 5 more passes into the ceiling throughout the game. Late in the second set the Rams started to come together thanks to the work of George Sakvarelidze (15). Tied at 22's, Queen's just edged out the second set win with a tool off the Ryerson block, a kill of their own and a Ryerson attacking error. Queen's takes the set 25-23.
The third set was very close thought its entire duration. Attacks from the Rams' Sakvarelidze (15) and Queen's Joren Zeeman (5) created a back and forth hard hitting set. At 16-13 Rams, Queen's middle Anthony Pitfield tries to take advantage of a Ryerson overpass only to have Ram's middle Roman Kabanov (12) be right there to solo the ball straight down on the Gael's side of the court. The Rams take the set 25-22 after a Queen's service error, followed by a hitting error, followed by a net call.
The fourth set was more of the same. It was a very offensive set with attacks from Big kills from Zeeman and strategic tools from Sakvarelidze. This brought the Rams to 26-25 with Sakvarelidze at the service line. He serves a float inbetween positions 6 and 3. Queen's confusion on the other side of the net lets the ball hit the floor untouched. Ace and the set, Rams win 27-25.
In the fifth set the Gaels dominated and took the momentum away from the Rams. Unable to set up a kill, Ryerson free balls to Gaels middle Michael Amoroso (13). Amoroso, who didn't play the first three sets, easily passed his own ball, then hit a quick into position one that has no chance of being dug. Queen's led 6-2. Ryerson timeout. Queen's tandem plays at three and four allowed them to easily take away Ryerson blockers increasing their lead. Queen's subs in Alex Oneid (6) for the final point of the game. Oneid serves into the tape, but the forward spin forces the ball barely over. It lands on the floor for an ace, the set and the game. Queen's wins 3-2.