No. 3 Women's Volleyball escapes with win over Conestoga
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Conestoga (3-1) | 14 | 25 | 19 | 25 | 9 | 2 |
|
Humber (4-0) | 25 | 18 | 25 | 19 | 15 | 3 |
By: Stefan Gerardi
Humber Athletics Communications
ETOBICOKE – No. 3 Humber women's volleyball (5-0, 1st West) defeated the Conestoga Condors (3-2, 5th West) in an exciting five-set clash (25-14, 18-25, 25-19, 19-25, 15-9) Wednesday evening at the North Campus Gym. Conestoga proved to be the Hawks' toughest matchup of the young 2022 season; nonetheless, the team's 48 kills, 40 assists, 12 aces, and 42 digs through the five-set matchup was enough for a Humber victory to maintain their perfect season.
Match Recap
The Hawks knew they would be in for a challenging battle against the Conestoga Condors, who came into North Campus Gym only losing one match in the young season. As the only ranked OCAA team in the nation, the red-hot Humber Hawks were confident in their abilities to continue their perfect season against Conestoga; however, the determined Condors gave Humber a run for its money.
The first set saw the Hawks take complete control and show their home fans why they are ranked third in Canadian collegiate volleyball. Humber dominated from the get-go as they jumped ahead to an early four-point cushion. The squad never looked back as they extended their lead with an 11-5 run and closed out the set with a double-digit victory.
A vengeful Conestoga group proved to Humber in the second set that they would not be going out without a fight. From the first serve of the set, the Condors showed their grit as they came out the gates on a 6-1 run. Conestoga continued their fiery offensive performance throughout the set, and it was too much for the Hawks to handle. Although Humber made a late push, it was not enough, and the third-ranked team in the nation was handed their first set loss of the 2022 campaign.
With momentum on the Condors' side, the Hawks knew they had to give it their all if they wanted to take another set lead. The third set was neck-and-neck through 32 rallies as the teams found themselves knotted at 16 points a side. With motivation from the roars of the fans who filled the North Campus Gym, Humber hurdled ahead with a 5-0 run late to secure their second set victory of the match.
Conestoga knew they had it in them to compete with the talented Hawks roster, and being pushed to the brink of a loss set a fire under the Condors' squad. Although Humber took an early lead in the fourth set, Conestoga stayed in the game and went on a 6-1 run late to put them five points away from tying the match at two. The teams traded points to end the frame, but Conestoga's lead allowed them to reach the 25-point plateau before the Hawks.
The thrilling matchup came down to a deciding fifth set. This was Humber's first fifth set of the season, while Conestoga's last match saw them reign victorious in a deciding fifth set against Fanshawe. The set was a tight battle; however, the Hawks put on an offensive clinic in front of their home fans as they closed out the set on a 9-5 run to maintain their perfect start to the 2022-23 season.
Uxbridge native Erika Dodd was lights-out as she posted a team-high 12 kills, while setter Sydney Ferguson led the Hawks in assists with 35. Filipino-born Ara Telan co-led Humber in digs with seven alongside second-year Hannah Manners. Middle blocker Keyome Ellis was excellent from the service line as her four aces topped the Hawks.
Humber Highlights
- The Hawks' last loss on home court was over three years ago, which came on Nov. 15, 2019, to Fanshawe.
- Coach Wilkins now sits seven wins away from becoming the first head coach in Humber history hit the 400-win mark.
- Erika Dodd ranks fourth in the OCAA with a .370 hitting percentage, while Keyome Ellis' 0.77 blocks per set place her fifth among her OCAA counterparts.
What's Next?
No. 3 Humber will begin a three-game road trip starting with a tilt against the St. Clair Saints on Nov. 19. The Hawks will then face Redeemer and Mohawk before returning to North Campus Gym on Dec. 1 for a battle with the Sheridan Bruins. First serve is slated for 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on the Hawks Sports Network.
