Veterans score fifth set victory for Gee-Gees

The Gee-Gees women's volleyball team played an up and down match on Sunday afternoon against a resilient Ryerson Rams team. Ottawa captured the opening two sets but were pushed to a fifth set for the second time this weekend before earning a 3-2 match victory, their eleventh of the season.

Ottawa led each of the first two sets by wide margins but allowed Ryerson to sneak back into contention both times. "Ryerson kept playing and kept playing hard. Our commitment to stop it took too long," said Gee-Gees head coach Lionel Woods following the match. "We have a mature group and eventually they do have a breaking point where they put their foot down."

That breaking point came in the fifth set, as the Gee-Gees' veterans closed out the match strong. Although Ryerson grabbed the first three points of the fifth, good defence from libero Stephanie Theiler and kills from Myriam and Kelsie English helped Ottawa turn it around to 4-3.

With the score knotted at 11-11, Karina Krueger Schwanke and Myriam English combined for three straight kills. "Christina at really key times made some good choices," noted Woods. Krueger Schwanke's impressive late-game defence and serves under pressure helped to seal the win for Ottawa and Kelsie English provided the final two kills, capping off a strong performance.

"I think it's what we needed right after Christmas - two teams that fought back and gave us a good challenge. We came out on top, which is what's important," said Kelsie, acknowledging the trouble the team had playing smoothly in the middle sets. The third-year attacker finished the match with 14 kills, nine digs, and four blocks.

"We are much bigger and we work a lot on our net work," added English. The Gee-Gees had fourteen blocks on the day compared to Ryerson's eight. Ryerson maintained an overall higher attacking percentage, but Ottawa won the fifth set attacking battle.

Alix Durivage was a key piece for Ottawa on the net and provided some early highlights for Ottawa, recording two kills and a big solo block in the first set. That and well-placed attacks from the entire team helped carry the garnet and grey to a 19-10 start to the match. However, the Gee-Gees lost their precision and allowed an 8-1 Ryerson run and an eventual tie score at 22-22. Fortunately for Ottawa, Ryerson misplayed the next two points and Myriam English landed an ace to capture the first set for Ottawa 25-22.

A similar scenario played out in the second set, with Durivage again starting strong at the net. Ottawa was the first to pull away, going on a 4-point run to lead 16-10 at the timeout. Myriam English recorded back-to-back points at 18-12, and Kathryn Wiehrer scored with a kill and a block to run lead to eight. The Gee-Gees would need that cushion as Ryerson once again made a late charge, tying the game at 24-24. Kelsie English won the set for Ottawa with a service ace which tumbled off the tape in the centre of the net and found the floor.

In the third a rare Christina Grail solo block gave Ottawa a two point-lead at 8-6, however that was the best it would get for uOttawa. Ryerson turned the game around to a 14-9 advantage when the Gee-Gees suddenly went cold with their attacks and had trouble getting around Ryerson's 6-foot middle Veronica Livingston, who led the Rams to a 16-9 lead at the timeout. Ryerson carried their lead to finish with a 25-18 set win, and won a back-and-forth fourth set thanks to strong serving by star middle Chelsea Briscoe.

"This weekend was a test to play a much tougher mental game, and both those matches could have easily been the other way," said Woods in reference to Saturday's 3-2 battle with Toronto. "We have to go back to training and practice as if they did go the other way."

Today's win pushes Ottawa further out in front of the field in the OUA standings. The Gee-Gees sit in first place with 22 points, but have played more games than second place York. Ottawa will look to clinch a playoff spot when they return home to Montpetit Hall to face the Waterloo Warriors this upcoming Saturday.

BOX SCORE

1 2 3 4 5

Ottawa 25 26 18 20 15

Ryerson 22 24 25 25 13