No. 4 Gee-Gees face biggest test to date against No. 7 Lions

@ RMC (2-5 OUA), Friday, November 23, 7:30 p.m.
Host York (7-0 OUA) Sunday, November 25, 2:00 p.m.(SSN Canada)

The undefeated Gee-Gees women's volleyball team will play their most important match of the season so far on November 25 as they host the other undefeated team in the OUA, the York Lions, at Montpetit Hall. But uOttawa must first take care of a feisty RMC Paladins squad on the road before battling for first place in the OUA against the Lions. The Gee-Gees and Lions boast identical 7-0 records, but Ottawa is ranked higher in the CIS top 10 poll, as the Gee-Gees are ranked fourth and York is ranked seventh. The Paladins are currently ninth in the OUA and are expected to be involved in a fight for a playoff berth all season long.

"I think it's going to be a good mental test for us. We need to go on the road against a good team on Friday night, come back late, and freshen up on Saturday. Then we're going to play one of the biggest matches of the season on Sunday. It's a really exciting weekend for us," said Gee-Gees head coach Lionel Woods.

York finished first in the OUA regular season last year but was disqualified from qualifying for the OUA Final Four for using an ineligible player in their first playoff match against RMC. This meant that Ottawa, the second-place finisher, got to host the Final Four last season, and RMC was able to make a surprise appearance in the tournament, as the eighth seed in the playoffs. The Paladins boast a balanced attack with five players averaging more than two points per set, and are led by versatile right-side hitter Norah Collins, who leads her team in both total digs and points.

"One of the things about RMC that can mess up their opponents is that they have a couple of really good blockers," explained Woods. "The positive thing is that there is a day in between our two matches, so we can focus on RMC first and then we can take a deep breath and think about York on Saturday."

The Lions are a very talented team who is first in the nation in hitting percentage, second in blocks per set, and third in points per set. In comparison, the Gee-Gees lead the nation in both aces per set and points per set, and just trail the Lions in blocks per set, in fourth place. York's offence is spearheaded by junior Brandie Wilkerson on the outside and senior Michelle Pierce on the inside.

Sunday's match will be the only regular season meeting between Ottawa and York.

"I think York is the number one team right now, until somebody else proves otherwise. We're just going to bring our best and we'll see how we match up," said Woods.

Come out to Montpetit Hall this Sunday to support the Gee-Gees in their battle for OUA supremacy against the Lions! Tickets to women's volleyball games are free for uOttawa students.