Holmes and persistent Queens power past Lynx, advance to bronze semis
Quebec, QC – The RDC Queens have advanced to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Women's Volleyball National Championship bronze medal semi-finals.
On Friday, the Queens trailed two sets to one against the Lynx d'Édouard-Montpetit, but were resilient, rallying to down the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) Wildcard team in five sets (24-26, 25-22, 21-25, 25-18 and 15-9).
"We definitely didn't start maybe as well as I had hoped," said Queens Head Coach Talbot Walton. "We didn't look like we had that level of compete that we were hoping we would have in the situation."
Queens Player-of-the-Game Emma Holmes powered the RDC offence with 14 kills from the outside, while swinging for a 0.270 hitting percentage. The second-year Bachelor of Kinesiology student added nine digs, five blocks and two aces. Tess Pearman fired ten kills, along with 11 digs, two blocks and an ace.
Pearman (8) with a dig
RDC setter Emma Letkeman accumulated 36 assists and two of the team's ten service aces. The first-year was instrumental applying service pressure early in the second set, going on a 5-0 run.
The RDC Queens' offence was the most efficient in the fourth and fifth sets. The Queens recorded a 0.235 hitting percentage in the fourth and elevated to 0.316 in the fifth, which was a match-high for either team.
"Once we got going a little bit better in that fourth set when our backs were against the wall, we were down two to one, I thought we responded the way that we have. We got to that spot where we actually started to play some good volleyball," said Walton.
"We looked more like our old selves. Out of the ten sets, maybe we've played four that have been at that level, so I'm glad we put that together in the fourth and fifth sets."
Alexandria Greenshields had seven kills and six blocks from the middle. Erin Neufeldt (five kills), McKenna Olson (three), Sydney Rix (two), and first-year outside hitter Jaiden Ferguson (two) also made offensive contributions.
Edyn Aasman (10) had ten digs, one ace and one assist
Libero Kaylee Domoney made some solid defensive plays, digging up 17 balls.
Sarah-Jade Goulet was named the Lynx Player-of-the-Game, contributing six of the team's 14 service aces, along with five digs, four blocks and a kill.
Holmes and Goulet
Both Alissa Veilleux and Gabrielle Fortin had 13 kills for Édouard-Montpetit, who went 13-4 during the RSEQ season.
"The final day of this tournament is very hectic. You get that final team that has just lost out in the semi-final game and they have to play at 12:00, and if you win that game you have to play again at 6:00," said Walton. "For that group, they have three games in a 24 hour time period. At least we have a little bit more of a break in between this match and tomorrow."
On Saturday at 12:00 EDT, the Red Deer College Queens will face whoever drops the match between Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) gold medal winning Briercrest College and RSEQ Champion Garneau.
"Garneau had a really good second half. I don't think they dropped one set, I think in all of their matches, so they are at a really high level," said Walton. "I know what Briercrest is capable of too. I guess we will have to wait and see on that one."
The full CCAA schedule and results are available online.
Match photos can also be viewed online.