No. 14 Women's Volleyball Wins Close Road Match at Niagara
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Humber | 25 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 15 | 3 |
|
Niagara | 23 | 19 | 26 | 25 | 9 | 2 |
By: A. Wickstrom
Humber Athletics Sports Information
WELLAND - No. 14 Humber women's volleyball got back in the win column Thursday evening, defeating the Niagara Knights (8-5, 4th West) in an intense five-set match, 3-2. The final set scores were 25-23, 25-19, 24-26, 23-25, and 15-9.
The hosting Knights created a battle for Humber from the get-go, staying within an arm's reach of the Hawks throughout the first and second set. Kills by Hannah Petcoff and Julia Watson were an important piece of Humber's offence, keeping the team in the game as they traded leads back and forth. Staying controlled, the Hawks finalized the first and second set at 25-23 and 25-19.
Both teams continued to battle up the scoreboard, as the energy rose in the Niagara gym. Huge swings by Shiann Williams and Megan Hunt kept the Hawks in the game, as Humber began to trail behind the Knights in the third and fourth sets. Freshman Alex Lachapelle showed why she is ranked second in the OCAA defensively, picking up every ball the Knights sent over. Staying within two points, Humber fell just short of the third and fourth sets at 24-26 and 23-25.
The Hawks got off on the right foot in the final set, with Megan Hunt and Julia Watson earning the teams first points with impressionable kills. Going on a service run, Megan Hunt gave Humber a crucial lead and pushed the Knights into a timeout at 5-1. Niagara refused to let the Hawks off easy, entering their own service run and matching the score at 5 all. Without any room for error, both teams remained disciplined through the tensions in the gymnasium. Humber took control of the momentum on the court as the game finalized, with kills by Megan Hunt and Alex Krstonosic finishing the match at 15-9.
Alex Krstonosic led the Hawks, earning 18 points through 16 kills and two blocks.
Humber Highlights
- Third-year Alex Krstonosic enters the OCAA rankings, placing second for a hitting percentage of .362
- Dating back to 1998, the Humber Hawks have remained undefeated against the Niagara Knights, improving to a 34-0 record.
- Captain Alex Bartman added another 44 assists to her stat sheet, pushing Humber's all-time career record to 1046.
What's Next?
Humber women's volleyball will travel to Sudbury to compete in a two-game weekend, starting with the Boréal Viperès on Feb 8 at 6 p.m. and ending with the Cambrian Golden Shield on Feb 9 at 1 p.m.
