PETERBOROUGH, Ont. – The Queen's Gaels were victorious in their final regular season game of 2017-18 against the Trent Excalibur with a score of 3-2. The scores of each set were 25-16, 22-25, 25-11, 21-25 and 15-11. The Gaels will now meet the Western Mustangs in London on March 3 in the OUA playoffs.
GAME FLOW
In the first set of the game, the Gaels dominated over the Excalibur in offensive play, taking 11 kills over the eight for Trent. The Tricolour won the set with a score of 25-16, making only one error through the set.
Trent found their offensive game in the second set of the game, making 11 kills on the Gaels and capitalizing on the five errors made by Queen's. The Gaels tried to keep the set close, but the Excalibur ultimately won with a score of 25-22 and tied up the game 1-1.
The Gaels strengthened their defence in the third set, holding the Excalibur to only four kills. The Tricolour took 12 kills and made only one error, winning the set and taking the lead in the game.
Throughout the fourth set, the Gaels struggled to find holes in the Trent defence, making only six kills to the Excalibur 13. The Tricolour lost the set to Trent with a close score of 25-21.
In the fifth and final set of the game, the Tricolour made six kills on the Trent defence and kept their defence strong, making only one error. The Gaels took the set and the match with a score of 15-11, closing their season on a win.
Queen's had outstanding offensive efforts from Shannon Neville (Cambridge, Ont.) will 12 kills, Caroline Livingston (Kelowna, B.C.) with 10 kills, and both Julia Wiercigroch (Mississauga, Ont.) and Natalie Crews (North Vancouver, B.C.) with eight kills each. Crews made the only serving ace for the Gaels against the Excalibur while Isabelle Korchinski (Anmore, B.C.) and Danielle Corrigan (North Vancouver, B.C.) presented their defensive strengths this game with five blocks and Crews lead the way with eight.
With this win, the Gaels have placed third in the OUA East and will meet the second-seeded West division Western Mustangs in the OUA playoffs.
BY THE NUMBERS
1 – Ace for Natalie Crews
12 – kills for Shannon Neville, leading the Gaels
14 – digs for Danika Ahac (North Vancouver, B.C.)
UP NEXT
The Gaels are headed into playoff season, with the quarter-final game set for March 3rd, 2018.
