Gryphons win in straight sets over Brock in first game in new Athletics Centre

GUELPH, ON – The pressure is off the Guelph Gryphons women's volleyball team.

They put it squarely on the shoulders of their rivals, the Brock Badgers.
 
The Gryphs played the first match at the new Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre on Saturday afternoon and swept the Badgers 3-0, winning 25-22, 25-18, 25-14.
 
"Brock is one of the teams that we're fighting with for a playoff spot," head coach Paul Funk said after the match. "To win today puts us three wins ahead of them instead of one if we had lost. That's a two-match swing, so this is huge."
 
The Gryphs improve to 5-4, good for third place in the seven-team OUA West Division. The sixth-place Badgers drop to 2-5.
 
"Brock is a big rival of ours, especially at this time of the season. This game gives us a big advantage on them, so we're really happy about it," said Victoria Golebiowski, a third-year left side from Binbrook, ON.
 
"It gives us a really big edge, trying to make the playoffs."
 
The Gryphs had to shake off a slow start in both the first and second sets on Saturday. They fell behind by four points midway through the first game, and by five points early in the second game.
 
Maddie Dedecker was asked if the slow start was more due to nerves from opening the new gym, or rust from not having played a match in more than a month.
 
"I would probably say it was nerves," the fourth-year left side from Dorchester, ON, said with a laugh. "Everyone was really wanting to win. It put a little extra pressure and nerves on us. . . obviously you want to represent Guelph well and get a win."
 
"The athletic director just said there's about 650 people in the gym today, and that's more fans than I think we've ever had. So there was that," added Cayte Wilson, a fourth-year setter from Kelowna, BC. "We just kind of had to get the jitters out."
 
Golebiowski led the Gryphs with 13 kills and 10 digs. Wilson also had 10 digs and a game-high 34 assists. Dedecker and third-year middle blocker Jessica Gormley each had seven kills and five digs, while second-year right side Laura Duncan contributed six kills and seven digs.

"We had fairly good balance in our offence," Funk said. "We didn't rely on one person, which can be our tendency at times; we tend to rely a little bit too much on Maddie. But we had a better balance today.
 
"I thought our middles did a pretty good job in terms of their blocking. We passed very steadily and our servicing was very steady. When we can have a good variety in terms of who's scoring, we have more success."
 
Now that the pressure surrounding the first match is behind them, the Gryphons can put all of their focus on the playoff quest. And they'll have plenty of time and opportunity to get even more accustomed to their new home, as each of their next three matches will be played at the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre, starting on Jan. 14 against the McMaster Marauders.
 
"I love the new gym, it's great. It's a nice facility, obviously – much nicer than the West Gym, or The Barn, as we call it," Golebiowski said.
 
"We're definitely going to miss The Barn, but being in a facility like this is more than any of us could ever ask for."

Source: Guelph Gryphons