No. 4 Women's Volleyball sweeps season series with Cambrian
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cambrian (1-3, 1-3) | 15 | 15 | 20 | 0 |
|
Humber (4-0, 4-0) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications
ETOBICOKE – After defeating the Cambrian Shield (1-3, 6th West) at their home court earlier in the season, No. 4 Humber women's volleyball (4-0, 1st West) welcomed Cambrian at the Hawks' Nest with a straight-set win (25-15, 25-15, 25-20) on Saturday evening. Right-side Hannah Manners led the Hawks offensively with a match-high 12 points, which included ten kills. Setter Kennedy Williscroft threw heat from the end line, serving a career-high five service aces and contributed defensively with ten digs.
Match Recap
Following a home-opener sweep against the Sheridan Bruins, the Humber Hawks were welcomed by its home crowd for a faceoff against the Cambrian Golden Shield. Both teams still had fresh memories from their previous clash on Oct. 19, when Humber overcame Cambrian 3-1. For this reason, fans anticipated Humber welcoming the Golden Shield with a strong start.
Second-year player Caitlyn Labelle kicked off the match with a powerful serve from the end line, scoring the first point of the night with an ace. The Hawks stayed ahead in the score throughout the set, establishing a commanding 10-point lead at 20-10, forcing Cambrian to call a timeout. Middle blocker Amy Connely ensured the timeout did not impact the match, jumping high at the net to block a spike off the break. Humber finished the set strongly, with Lauren Bannister finding an open spot in the back zone for a spike, wrapping up the first set at 25-15.
The Hawks picked up where they left off, jumping out to a quick 8-2 lead as Kennedy Williscroft showed she could do much more than just setting up Humber players for points. The second-year setter served four consecutive aces to give Humber an early lead. Cambrian found a good sequence with great plays from its outside hitters, trimming the lead down to one at 12-11. In response, coach Chris Wilkins called a timeout to regroup Humber on the floor. The sixty-second break proved successful, as Humber returned strong and ended the set with a 13-4 run, closing at 25-15.
Looking to avoid a fast three-set sweep, Cambrian knew they needed to establish early momentum in the third set. The Golden Shield took the lead for the first time in the match and found their rhythm with a 5-3 run. However, the Hawks stayed composed, tying the game before Rachel Vanderwall scored back-to-back kills to put Humber ahead by five at 11-6. The fans at the Nest saw an undeterred Cambrian team that fought hard for every ball, making the set much more competitive as Humber led by just four points at 23-19. Despite their efforts, Vanderwall, who was unstoppable at the net, landed a powerful spike to secure a 25-20 victory.
Humber Highlights
- The Hawks improve to 36-15 all-time against Cambrian.
- Humber has not lost to Cambrian on home court in 21 years, dating back to 2003.
- The Hawks have won six consecutive games against the Shield since the 2022-23 season.
- Humber extends its win streak to 32 against the OCAA.
- Coach Chris Wilkins boasts a 435-62 all-time record over 22 seasons at the helm.
- Kennedy Williscroft leads the OCAA with an average of eight assists per set.
- Humber sits first in the OCAA with 41 blocks.
What's Next?
The Hawks are midway through their four-game home stand. Their next match is tomorrow, Nov. 3, against the Boreal Vipères (0-4, 9th West). The first set is scheduled for noon and will be streamed live on the Hawks Sports Network.
