Women's Volleyball drops opening match at CCAA national championship

By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications

RED DEER, AB – Humber women's volleyball is now looking to capture the CCAA bronze medal for the third time in the program's history after falling in the quarter-final round to the hosts Red Deer Queens in three sets (25-22, 25-13, 25-14). Reese Cholette fought for every ball in this quarter-final, securing a match-high 20 digs and being named the player of the match for Humber.

Match Recap

The gates were open for the CCAA Women's Volleyball Championship, where the country's top college volleyball teams would clash for the national glory. In the third quarter-final match of the day, the Humber Hawks and the Red Deer Queens geared up to battle for a spot in the next round. Playing in the CCAA is like opening a surprise box; facing teams unseen throughout the year keeps the odds high, where anything can happen.

Red Deer finished the regular season with a 13-6 record, losing the ACAC bronze-medal game in a three-set sweep against the Briercrest Clippers. Now hosting the CCAA, the Queens were determined to keep the gold medal in Red Deer. Across the net, the Hawks were looking to make history. After a perfect 22-0 record in the OCAA, only dropping three sets throughout the entire season, Humber was looking to capture its first national gold medal.

With the home crowd on their side, the fans filled up the Queens' tank early in the game. Aiming to surprise the OCAA champions, Red Deer came out of the gate with a hot 6-2 start. The Hawks knew the importance of winning the first set in the national championship. A set win could shake up the hosts, exactly what Humber needed to advance to the next round. Senior player Keyome Ellis is known to be lethal in Ontario and was ready to show the country her unstoppable spikes, grabbing two kills in a row to even the match up 9-9. Both teams would trade points halfway through the set, but Red Deer had just enough energy to sit in the driver's seat. The Hawks would trim down a four-point lead to a one-point game, but that was not enough, as the Queens captured the set 25-22.

As the second got underway, rookie Caitlyn Labelle opened the set with a spike and would be supported by senior Keyome Ellis, who smashed a ruthless ace. Despite the great start, the hosts kept up with Humber's pace and would once again dictate the game, jumping out to a 15-11 lead and forcing head coach Chris Wilkins to call a timeout. The Hawks could not find a way to stop the hot spikes from Red Deer's Emma Holmes and would see the Queens capture a demanding 25-13 set win.

Humber was in a hostile environment playing at the Queens' home court. With the fans making noise in the stands, the Hawks saw themselves in a two-set disadvantage for the first time in the season. After only dropping three sets in the OCAA, Humber struggled to handle the strong performance from the hosts. The third set started like the other two, as Red Deer secured another early lead, 10-6. While the Queens were firing from the left with outside hitter Emma Holmes, Rachel Perry was all business from the end line. The Hawks did not manage to find a response to the Queens' royal attacks, as the hosts wrapped up the match with a 25-14 set win.

Oakville-native setter Reese Cholette was named the player of the game on the Hawks side with a game-high 20 digs.

Match Notes

• The Hawks now have a 6-13 all-time record in the CCAA quarter-final round.
• Humber now holds a 5-5 record against the host team at the CCAA.
• Humber falls to 3-11 against the ACAC at the big dance.

What's Next?

The Hawks will now fight to stay alive in the CCAA as they take on the ACAA champions, UKC Blue Devils, on March 7 in a bronze quarter-final match. The first serve is set for 5 p.m. ET.