No. 3 Women's Volleyball playing for provincial gold tomorrow

By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications

ETOBICOKE – No. 3 Humber women's volleyball (21-0) is one win away from securing their fourth-consecutive OCAA title. The Hawks needed four sets (25-17, 23-25, 25-21, 25-18) to defeat the Niagara Knights (14-7) for the third time this season, booking their spot in the OCAA championship match. The Hawks will play for the gold medal against the No. 11 St. Clair Saints (19-2) tomorrow, Feb. 22, at 5 p.m., at the Hawks' Nest. Hannah Manners was the nightmare of the Knights' defence with a game-high 20 points, all from kills, while Reese Cholette dominated the defence with a career-high 27 digs. 

Match Recap 

The beauty of sports lies in its unpredictability. No matter how dominant or turbulent a season has been, everything comes down to the final four. That was the stage set at the Hawks' Nest, where two teams with different journeys clashed for a spot in the OCAA championship match. 

The Niagara Knights arrived at the Nest with momentum. After falling behind 2-0 in the crossover round, they mounted a comeback against the Canadore Panthers, then carried that energy into the quarterfinals, defeating Redeemer in four sets to secure their place in the semifinals. The Hawks, on the other hand, had yet to face such adversity. Riding a 20-0 undefeated season, Humber had not been pushed to a five-set match and carried a 42-0 all-time record against Niagara. 

The atmosphere at the Hawks' Nest was electric. The floor trembled as Humber fans poured their hearts into cheering for the home team. Their energy fueled the Hawks, who came out strong with a 4-1 run. The Knights, however, remained composed, keeping the game tight at 8-8. After a brief setback with attacking errors, the Hawks regained their rhythm, with Hannah Manners and Amy Connelly leading the charge to pull ahead. Humber carried their momentum throughout the set and captured the victory 25-17. 

In the second set, the Knights knew they could not afford to let Humber dictate the pace. Niagara's Montanna Taylor and Natalie Little continued their strong play from the first set, while six-foot-two Sam Cormier dominated at the net. The Knights kept the Hawks trailing for most of the set, though the battle remained contested. Niagara would close it out 25-23. 

Dropping their first set after five consecutive sweeps clearly fueled the Hawks' tank, who stormed into the third with a dominant 10-3 run. The explosive start set the tone, proving to be the difference-maker in yet another tightly contested set. Although Niagara fought to close the gap, Humber managed the lead and sealed it with a 25-21 victory. 

Both teams left it all on the court. In a thrilling fourth set at the Hawks' Nest, the crowd witnessed the best volleyball match of the year in Etobicoke. Humber seized an early lead and controlled the tempo throughout. With the championship game just one point away at 24-18, Manners received, Williscroft set up O'Dell at the net and the second-year middle blocker unleased a thunderous spike. The ball ricocheted off a Niagara player attempting to dig it before kissing the floor, securing Humber's spot in the gold medal game. 

Hannah Manners was named the Player of the Game, scoring a post-season high of 20 points, all from kills, along with two aces. 

Humber Highlights

• The Hawks have never lost to the Knights; improve to 43-0 all-time and 7-0 in the postseason.
• Humber has won 15 consecutive OCAA postseason matches.
• The Hawks hold a 48-win streak against the OCAA, dating back to Feb. 11, 2023.
• Humber is one of just two undefeated teams in Canada, alongside the No. 1 Lakeland Rustlers.
• The Hawks have not lost a home playoff match since 1999.
• Humber improves to 25-9 in the OCAA semi-final round.
• The Hawks improve to 91-28 all-time in the OCAA postseason
• Chris Wilkins holds a 70-8 all-time OCAA playoff record and a 455-62 all-time overall record as the Hawks' boss. 

What's Next?

No. 3 Humber is heading to the OCAA gold medal game, aiming for a four-peat. Humber will face the No. 11 St. Clair Saints (19-2) tomorrow, Feb. 22, at the Hawks' Nest. The championship match is set for 5 p.m. and will be streamed live on OCAA Live. Come to the Nest to cheer on your Hawks as they chase their 19th OCAA gold medal.