HAWKS CLOSE IN ON DIVISION TITLE WITH 3-0 WIN OVER SHERIDAN
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sheridan | 16 | 18 | 23 | 0 |
|
Humber | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Recap by: Bobby Mihalik
ETOBICOKE, ON: The Humber Hawks women's volleyball team (15-0, 1st West), through consistently strong play, overcame a late deficit in the third set to defeat the Sheridan Bruins (9-7, 6th West) Sunday afternoon in three straight sets (25-16, 25-18, 25-23).
The Hawks and Bruins were evenly matched to begin the game, with neither team able to build more than a two-point lead until partway through the first set. A three-point Hawks rally broke the stalemate, and was promptly followed by six straight Hawks points, fuelled by two aces from Nicole Collard, putting the Hawks up by seven. With the Bruins unable to recover, Collard finished off the first set for the Hawks, taking it 25-16.
The second set began in similar fashion to the first, with the Hawks and Bruins trading points as both teams fought for control. After the Bruins took a two-point lead, the Hawks tied it back up on a Julia Watson serving ace but found themselves struggling to retake the lead. After three-straight points off Alex Bartman's serving, the Hawks got back in the driver's seat, grabbing the lead back from the Bruins and pulling ahead on the scoreboard. Solid serving from Celine Blanchette and kills from Collard and Devan O'Connor put the set far out of the Bruin's reach, with the Hawks ultimately claiming it 25-18.
Momentum swung in the Bruins' favour to start the third as Sheridan an early four-point lead, led by Taylor Ley and Tamia Cooper-Evelyn. With the Bruins continuing their strong play, the Hawks fought to stay in the game, slowly chipping away at their deficit. Tying the game at 14 apiece on a Breanna Golding serving ace, the Hawks surged to steal the lead, going up by three after a five-point rally. Four straight Bruins points put the pressure back on the Hawks, however, and finding themselves down 21-20 late in the set, the Hawks rallied behind Coleman-Spence and Golding to retake the lead for the final time. Despite a final push from the Bruins, the Hawks would hang on to win the third set 25-23, taking the game in three straight sets.
Nicole Collard led the Hawks with 11 points (seven kills, two serving aces, two blocks). Breanna Golding had nine points (five kills, one serving ace, three blocks) and Kerissa Woolley had eight digs.
Julia Watson, who had seven points (seven kills), was named the Hawks Nation Player of the Game following the win.
Taylor Ley led the Bruins in points with 11 (eight kills, two serving aces, one block) while Tamia Cooper-Evelyn had eight digs.
The Hawks' record improves to 15-0 with the victory. The Bruins' loss drops their record to 9-7.
Up next for Humber is a road matchup against the Boreal Vipers (0-16, 10th West) on Saturday. The scheduled start time is 6 p.m.
