HAWKS HEAD TO ANCASTER FOR MATCH UP WITH REDEEMER
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Humber ( ) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
|
Redeemer ( ) | 13 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
ANCASTER, ON: By way of Redeemer's win over Fansahwe on Wednesday, the Humber Hawks women's volleyball team clinched another West Division title, and direct entrance to the 2016 OCAA Championships in North Bay. The Hawks will travel to Ancaster on Saturday afternoon to play the Redeemer Royals, in what is sure to be an exciting game in building filled with frenzied Royals supporters.
The Hawks, at 14-0, continue to be the class of the division. They have only lost four sets on the entire season. Redeemer, secure in a play-off spot at 9-6, will be looking for the upset and an important jump in the final division standings. A second, third or fourth place finish let them avoid travelling for a sudden death cross-over game against a higher ranked East Division club.
The two teams met early in the season, and the result was a 3-0 (25-23, 25-9, 25-22) win for the host Hawks. As expected in this match, the top players from each team were the Hawks Thalia Hanniman, and the Royals Curtiss Straatsma.
As mentioned above, Hanniman continues to be the "go to" player for Humber, and she checks in with an impressive mark of 4.5 points per set. Brynne Coleman, just returning from injury, has been dominant as well in her five games this semester, lighting it up with an average of 3.6 pps. Second Year middle Elizabeth Deakin-Poot has elevated her game, especially from a serving perspective. She has put up a spectacular number of aces recently, and leads all Hawk players in this category.
The Royals Straatsma bested the all-time OCAA points mark earlier this season, but her impressive mark of 3.9 points per set has dropped over the last three years. Her high water mark was during the 2012-13 season, when she posted a remarkable average of 4.8 pps. She is still a force to be concerned about, but she is now supported by a solid crew, which includes Charlene DeVries (2.7 pps) and Mary Christiaanse (2.2 pps).
The "X" factor is the Redeemer gymnasium and crowd. With a low roof and rabid fans, the visiting teams are always in for a tough match. Should the Hawks be able to get a roll early they may be able to take the crowd out it, and make the game just about volleyball.
The game will be streamed live:
http://www.redeemerroyals.ca/sports/2015/10/5/watchlive.aspx
