Consistently overpowering, the women’s volleyball team looks to add to its lead atop the Ontario University Athletic (OUA) standings before the midseason break.
While the Blues sit as the top team in the OUA east division with 24 points, coach Kristine Drakich aims for a winning streak to take them to the halfway point of the season. Next up are division rivals Ottawa and York, who sit in second and third in the east, respectively.
Hosting the Gee-Gees this Saturday and visiting the Lions next Friday, Drakich cited the need for the Blues to keep their heads about them.
“Our opponents will provide us with competitive challenges, but it’s our ability to take care of the ball when it’s on our side that matters most,” she said.
“We need to manage ourselves so that we play every rally with controlled execution and with the energy used on match point. If we play aware and focused we will be successful against anyone.”
The Blues (8-1) are also highly ranked nationally, as they are tied for seventh in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) top ten. Western, the one team to defeat the Blues, is also on that list. The Mustangs beat the Blues in four sets in London on November 12.
U of T defeated Ryerson in three straight sets (25-22, 25-22, 25-13) on Saturday. The Blues hammered away at the Rams, relying on a constant attack of kills to clinch the victory.
“Ryerson did a good job in the first two games,” Drakich said. “They were feisty and served tough. At first we played hesitant-the ball would just fall between our players-but we regained our focus, executed well, and forced them to earn their points. They struggled with that.”
Leading the way for the Blues was Leah Towell, who received player of the match honours with her 11 kills and her outstanding hustle on the court. Asya Danilova and Mila Miguel also came up huge for the Blues, combining for 21 kills and blocking for five.
Ryerson was led by Erin Gallagher, whose 13 kills were not enough for the Rams, who fell to 2-6 on the season.
The first set had the two teams sharing the score at four until Ali Greey killed for a point, made a saving dig for another, and then served in what became a 10-2 U of T run.
Ryerson then took the game by the horns, as they rallied to take a 19-17 lead. Stopping the bleeding for U of T was Canciani Gioia, whose timely block for a point got the Blues within one.
After she killed the point to tie it at 21, the teams traded scores before Gioia served the Blues home. U of T took the final three points to win the first set.
Rally play dominated the second set, as the two teams traded scores until they were tied at 20. Four kills, two each by Miguel and Towell, led the Blues to take the momentum in the match. They took the second set 25-22.
By the third set, Ryerson was visibly fatigued, their unforced errors allowing the Blues to take an 8-2 lead. U of T then scored the next eight points, which included six kills and two aces, before defeating the Rams 25-13.
