AROUND OUA: Gaels move to 5-1 with five set win over Waterloo

SCOREBOARD

Queen's 3 @ Waterloo 2

RMC 0 @ Guelph 3

Brock 0 @ McMaster 3

Gaels move to 5-1 with five set win over Waterloo

KINGSTON, Ont. (November 18, 2016) - The Gaels (5-1) faced the Waterloo Warriors (1-3) tonight in Waterloo. The game finished with the Gaels on top, the final scores being 28-30, 25-17, 25-22, 23-25, 15-13. 

GAME FLOW

The Gaels came into the first keeping the score neck and neck with the Warriors. Jamie Wright (Kingston, Ont.) did an excellent job setting up the Gaels with opportunities to score, unfortunately the Warriors put up a block that the Gaels could not get around.  Overall the Warriors out blocked the Gaels with 18 Block Assists to the Gaels 13. The first set the Gaels lost by a mere two points with a score of 30-28.

The second set of the game the Gaels got started off strong. There was strong hitting by Zac Hutcheson (Kingston, Ont.) and the men were ready to take back the game. A huge kill by Joel Rudd (Cambridge, Ont.) with an assist from Jamie Wright (Kingston, Ont.) finished off the second set. By the end of the second frame the Gaels crushed the Warriors with a score of 25-17.

The third game was another close match, both teams giving it their all to come out victorious.  Big serving at the end of the game by Markus Trence (Orangeville, Ont.) led the Gaels to their big victory, where they finished off the set with a kill from Dylan Hunt (Aurora, Ont.). The Gaels won again, with a final score of 25-22. 

After dropping the fourth set to Waterloo, the match went to a fifth and final frame.

The final game decided it all, the serving efforts of Hunt gave the Gaels a four point lead over the Warriors making the score 12-8 late in the match.  Unfortunately for Waterloo, it was a service error by the Warriors that lost them the match, with a final score of 15-13 the Gaels caught their fifth win of the season.

BY THE NUMBERS

22- The number of points scored tonight by Markus Trence who is also Queen's Gael of the Week coming into the weekend
63- The number of Kills made by  the Gaels tonight
1st- Zac Hutcheson currently sits number one in the OUA for Digs with 50
1st- Jamie Wright currently is seated number one in the OUA for Assists Per Set with 10.42

UP NEXT
The Gaels will be traveling to Guelph tomorrow night they will be playing the Guelph Gryphons (4-1) at 8pm.

Source: Queen's Gaels

Gryphons beat RMC to extend win streak to four

GUELPH, ON – The Gryphons men's volleyball team extended their win streak to four thanks to a straight sets victory over the RMC Paladins Friday night in their home opener. Set scores were 25-19, 25-16, 25-22. The Gryphons move to 4-1 on the season as the Paladins see their record go to 2-4.

The Gryphons were highly efficient from the floor, especially in the first set getting 17 kills on 28 attempts and only 2 errors. Even with the attack converting at a high percentage, Guelph's serving was a problem for them all night as they would have 19 service errors in the match. And 8 in the first that would keep RMC in the set before the Gryphs rattled off 4 straight points to win the first set as Ken Kerr would hammer down a kill with authority for 25-19 first set win.

The Gryphons would continue to stay hot on the floor to start the 2^nd set going on a 12-4 run as they would roll to a comfortable 25-16 second set win. Anytime the Gryphons needed a big point in the third set, they would come through and get that key point when it looked like RMC was creeping back into the set.  As the Paladins rattled off four straight points to cut the Gryphs lead to 22-20, the hosts would get that much needed point as Kendrick Kerr rifled down another kill off another great set from Sam Kloke and that was the point that would seal the victory for the hosts.

Third year right side Zach Newman had a team high 14 points (13 kills, 1 ace) as Ken Kerr and third year setter Sam Kloke were the stars tonight. Kerr finished with 12 kills on 14 attempts and Kloke had 41 assists along with his 7 digs.

Gryphons Coach Cal Wigston had high praise for Kloke and Kerr tonight, "We have a great connection with our setter [Sam Kloke] and our middle hitter [Kerr]. Kenny is a special, special player. Our setter and him just connected so well tonight. It was so fun to watch."

Kerr also had high praise for his teammate and setter, "He just put it in a spot where I can hit it and just put it down for him." Kerr said of Kloke's play.

The Gryphons will look to extend their win streak to 5 games against a very quality Queen's Gaels off to a 4-1 start Saturday night at the W.F. Mitchell Athletics Centre.

Source: Guelph Gryphons

Mac welcomes Brock to OUA with a sweep

Taking their first steps in the OUA this season, the Brock Badgers faced a tough test in just their second match Friday, in the form of the dynastic Marauders. McMaster ultimately dispatched Brock in straight sets, but not before some encouraging volleyball from the new boys of the conference.
 
Set scores were 25-11, 25-22 and 25-21 for the U Sports no. 3-ranked Marauders, who moved to 4-0 on the season with the result. After opening their season with a win over the Trent Excalibur, fellow newcomers to the OUA in 2016-17, the Badgers dropped to 1-1.
 
Brandon Koppers led the Marauders, and the match, with 11.5 points, including nine kills, two aces and a block assist, while Andrew Richards had 28 assists over the course of the three-set win and led his team with 10 digs.
 
Struggling to create offence throughout Friday's encounter, the Badgers were held to just .014 hitting, with 21 errors versus 22 kills. Rookie opposite John Elgersma had 11 points, including eight kills and three aces, to lead his team in a losing effort.
 
Mac breezed through the opening set, but found the going considerably tougher in sets two and three, forced to battle through errors of their own while Brock continued to find their feet.
 
The visitors were within a point at 19-18 in the second set, before a Matt Ragogna service error launched a sprint to the finish for the home side, who won six of the last nine points to snatch the set, ending it on a kill from sophomore Matt Passalent.
 
Brock held a lead of as many as three points in the early stages of the third, before McMaster nudged ahead at the technical timeout, grabbing a lead at 16-15 that they would not relinquish.
 
Reeling off another late-set run, the Marauders brought the night to a close with a bang, as Danny Demyanenko violently brought a quick set to the floor for 25-21.
 
McMaster returns to action in a week's time, when the Marauders welcome the Waterloo Warriors to the Burridge Gym on Friday, November 25. The two teams, who last met at the CIS Championship in March, will get play underway at 8:00 p.m.

Source: McMaster Marauders