NORTH YORK, Ont. - It was a better overall performance from a team with national championship aspirations.

The Seneca Sting hit their home floor Saturday afternoon and executed their game plan against the visiting Loyalist Lancers. In the end, it was a three-set sweep for the Sting as they improved to 6-1 on the season.

The Sting opened up an early 5-3 lead on the Lancers in the first set. On the strength of the serving by first year Tina O'Donnell (Scarborough, Ont.), Seneca extended that lead to 10-5.  Not to be pushed around, the Lancers closed the gap thanks to a height advantage at the net which they used in their favour with a number of blocks on the smaller Sting attackers. The Sting would extend their lead to 18-12 before an ace by Bianca Newman (Ajax, Ont.) forced a Lancer timeout. The halt in play did little to slow the Sting momentum as Newman served five consecutive balls, three for aces, to put the set away 25-14.

The Lancers rebounded in the second set after opening up a 4-0 lead. With a 5-4 lead, Amber Brant put the Sting serve reception on the defensive, giving the Lancers a 10-4 lead. The Sting were able to close the gap to three on two separate occasions, but back-to-back aces by the Lancers gave them an advantage they would not relinquish, taking the second set 25-23.

With early leads dictating the outcome of sets all afternoon, the Sting jumped out to a 9-6 in the third set, which led to a Lancers timeout. O'Donnell kept the momentum going with a kill followed up by a Rebecca Sobie (Mississauga, Ont.) ace to extend the Sting lead. Seneca would go on to take the set 25-13.

Playing its best volleyball of the match, Seneca raced to a 7-1 lead. A kill by Lindsay Ballance (Napanee, Ont.) provided the Sting with an 18-7 lead before a pair of Danielle Simpson (Alliston, Ont.) kills closed out the match for a 25-8 win.

Newman led the Sting with 15 kills, seven aces and 10 digs. O'Donnell also added 10 kills and 13 digs. Libero Clare Weisser (Queensville, Ont.) had 27 digs while setter Paulynne Reyes (Edmonton) assisted on 40 kills.

The Sting will welcome the Fleming Knights on Wednesday at 6 p.m. while the Lancers return home to host the George Brown Huskies Friday at 6 p.m.

Source: Seneca College