The Guelph Gryphons tried to set up an attack against home team Queen's Gaels on the last day of regular season play.
Sunday February 12, 2011
Queen’s ‘ARC’
Queen’s Gaels vs. Guelph Gryphons
Queen’s and Guelph came into their last regular season game tied in second on the Men’s OUA Standings. Whoever won Sunday’s match-up would claim the higher spot going into the playoffs. With everything on the line, these two teams came to play.
Guelph played some incredible defence early on, but the play still resulted in an emphatic, untouched quick from Queen’s 13 Michael Amoroso. Queen’s 12 Anthony Pitfield gave his own effort at defence, as he went sliding into the advertisements that surround the court. His efforts went for naught in the end, as he couldn’t manage the dig.
The aerial view from where some Queen's students are able to watch matches as they work out in the ARC
Sunday February 12, 2011
Queen’s ‘ARC’
Queen’s Gaels vs. Guelph Gryphons
Sunday marked the final day in OUA competition for the women. The Queen’s Gaels were riding high after taking down the league’s top team in McMaster the day before. Guelph were salivating over the opportunity to leapfrog McMaster in the standings with a win. It may have been the final day in season competition, but there was still plenty on the line when the two teams met.
Guelph built some energy early through the impressive play of libero 8 Megan Canavan. Her early digs gave the squad extra chances to attack, and the way she went about it seemed to push the team harder. At times, Guelph would stick to defence and free balls, waiting for the eventual Queen’s error. The visitors took the early lead 10-6.
Saturday February 12, 2011
Queen’s University Athletics and Recreation Centre
Queen’s Gaels vs. McMaster Marauders
On the last weekend of the OUA regular season, two of the top-ranked women’s teams competed head to head. The Queen’s Gaels and the McMaster Marauders match-up on Saturday afternoon would play a role in deciding the final rankings at the top of both the OUA East and West conferences. Though McMaster came in as the number one team, Queen’s threw a barrage of home court advantages including cheerleaders, two different bands, and a Celtic dance crew.
Being the first game of the afternoon, the energy started off low for both squads. Queen’s 12 Natalie Gray provided the first real kill to start the points rolling for the Gaels. However, points off blocks and minor errors dictated the majority of the early first set. It wasn’t until the Marauders were up 14-11 that an intense rally broke out. Finally both teams began digging and the tone was set for the match to continue as the competitive match everybody expected. Queen’s 13 Katie Matthews, hitting a fluid step attack from the offside, eventually won the rally.
Saturday February 12, 2011
Queen’s University Athletics and Recreation Centre
Queen’s Gaels vs. McMaster Marauders
As the Men’s OUA regular season entered the last week of play, Queen’s and McMaster were separated by a single win. A win for McMaster would mean a three-way tie for second place overall between Queens, McMaster, and Guelph. All three teams would be guaranteed home court advantage in the first round, but come the second round those ranks will determine who gets to host a game in the final four (should those teams win their first round match-ups).
Queen’s right-side player 5 Joren Zeeman was coming off a career-high 30 points last weekend, and had been nominated Queen’s Athlete of the Week because of it. McMaster would have to keep Zeeman in check if they were to expect to come out of Kingston with a road victory. The last time the two teams met, the Marauders managed to stifle him and walk out with the victory. But that was in Hamilton.
There was plenty of notice for the countdown towards Landis Doyle's OCAA record. The tally began on her very first game, as the record up for grabs was all-time points leader, meaning the most career kills. Ever. There were Hawks' supporters with eight signs, numbered 1-8, that turned over a sign each time Doyle put down another kill. Eventually they were revealed to say "Go Landis". It didn't take long.
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The CEV Champions League provides the highest level of professional volleyball in the world today.
The 2011 CEV Champions League is coming closer and closer to naming a champion. The hosts for the final four tournaments have been named, guaranteeing a men’s and women’s team a spot among the four.
Of course, the CEV Champions League isn’t really dinner table conversation for most families. The closest comparison in professional sports would be the Champions League of soccer. The design has many individual national leagues coming together to determine a World Champion of professional Volleyball. As with soccer, some leagues consistently put forward the heavy favourites. For soccer it’s the Spanish Primiera, the English Premier League. For Volleyball the favourites come from Italy, Russia, and Turkey.
full host details and CEV Champions League explanation after the jump:
Lakehead 15 Sarah Reid tries to pound a kill through the Queen's block as OUA play resumed this weekend.
January 9th, 2011
Queen’s University Athletic Complex
Queen’s Gael’s vs. Lakehead Thunderwolves
The Queen’s University Gael’s hosted the Lakehead Thunderwolves on Sunday afternoon. Lakehead were coming off a narrow five-set defeat to RMC the night before, while Queen’s hadn’t yet played a match in 2011. Lakehead would have to hope their warm-up the day before could push them past a Queen’s team with a significantly better record going in.
McMaster 10 Kevin Stevens puts away a kill without a block to contest.
January 7th, 2011
Wilfrid Laurier Athletic Complex
Laurier Golden Hawks vs. McMaster Marauders
Both McMaster’s Men’s and Women’s teams are in striking position of the top teams in the OUA. While the Laurier Women’s team is on the lower half of the standings, their Men’s squad has been pushing hard recently to move up the standings. Their record of 6-4 would receive a huge boost if they could knock of the visiting Marauder’s squad. Coming off such a long layoff, any predictions of the result became difficult.
Laurier Golden Hawks' 8 Tesca Andrew-Wasylik tries to hit through the McMaster double block.
January 7th, 2011
Wilfrid Laurier Athletic Complex
Laurier Golden Hawks vs. McMaster Marauders
The OUA regular season started again after a brief Christmas break on Friday night. The Laurier Golden Hawks hosted one of the league’s best in McMaster. Though the two team records showed quite a disparity, the game was highly competitive and entertaining, forcing both squads and coaches to stay on their toes.