RECAP: Women’s volleyball season wraps following games against Laval, Sherbrooke

The Gee-Gees women's volleyball season came to an end over the weekend, following a pair of games aginst the Laval Rouge et Or and the Sherbrooke Vert et Or. While the team was ultimately unable to clinch a playoff spot, they'll begin looking ahead at next year, and training for the fresh season.

FEBRUARY 8 at LAVAL

The Rouge et Or created an early lead in their game against the Gee-Gees, jumping out to a 7-3 lead before Ottawa called a timeout.
The timeout was effective for the Gee-Gees, as they made adjustments to tie the contest at 10.
Laval rallied with a combination of attack errors and kills to spread their lead to 17-11, and never looked back as they took the opening set 25-17.
The second set featured a back-and-forth barrage of points to start, highlighted by a service ace from Kara Hayes and a trio of kills by Dana Bulloch, keeping it close at 10-8 in favour of Laval.
Laval stretched out their lead from that point, taking a 19-10 lead before forcing a timeout.
Ottawa responded admirably, taking four of the next five points, but Laval ultimately took the set 25-16.
In the third set, Laval once again broke free from an early deadlock, taking a 17-7 lead. Bulloch was key in rallying a comeback with a service ace as part of a three-point run.
But ultimately it wasn't enough as the Rouge et Or took the set 25-16, and the match.

FEBRUARY 9 vs SHERBROOKE

Ahead of their match against the Vert et Or, the Gee-Gees honoured the quartet of graduating seniors Kara Hayes, Dana Bulloch, Emily Lenton, and Niève Séguin.
A four-point run to open the first set was a difference maker for Sherbrooke, as they held a lead by that margin for the majority of the set.
A service ace from Bulloch, followed by an attack error, pulled the Gee-Gees within two points at 18-16. Sherbrooke was able to contain the Gee-Gees attack, and take the set 25-18.
The second set featured a hot start for Sherbrooke, opening the set on a 9-3 run. This did little to deter the Gee-Gees however, as they battled back to pull within 14-9.
Attack errors were the difference maker, as Sherbrooke capitalized on the opportunities to take the set 25-16.
The third set was the best performance of the day for the Gee-Gees, generating a game-high 12 kills and only seven errors.
A series of kills from Hayes helped generate an early 11-4 lead for the Garnet and Grey.
Sherbrooke replied with four points of their own, but the Gee-Gees maintained a lead throughout the set. The Vert et Or eventually tied the contest at 20, then the Gee-Gees restored their lead at 22-21.
Sherbrooke answered back with a pair of kills, and a pair of attack errors, to complete the comeback and take the match.

STATS AT A GLANCE

• The Gee-Gees will return to the court next year having gained valuable experience this season. The team had six players playing regularly that are currently in their first or second season with the team. With incoming players Nicole Wernham, Maxim Langevin and Danika Robert joining the team next year, the future is looking bright.
• In their final games in Garnet and Grey, veterans Kara Hayes and Emily Lenton once again led the way. Hayes paced the offence with 14 points in the match, while Lenton led the Gee-Gees with 23 assists.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

Following the game, head coach Lionel Woods spoke highly of the contributions graduating players Hayes, Bulloch, Lenton and Séguin made during their time in Garnet and Grey.

"This year's graduating players have been a cohesive group of four players from start to finish. Even though two of them are in their fourth-year and two in their fifth, they have become a true 'core' of veterans that have done everything they can to 'give to each other' and to the team. They have all succeeded academically and athletically throughout their career and have set a standard of 'balance of life' that we would love our young players to learn from."

"We will sincerely miss the unique contributions that each one of them have brought to our team. They are the group that has lead us through a difficult transition to the RSEQ conference. They have been responsible for setting a standard of determination for improvement that will serve as a foundation for any of the success that we see in the future."