No. 3 Women's Volleyball earns 26th consecutive final four appearance
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Conestoga (1-1, 1-1) | 17 | 14 | 19 | 0 |
|
Humber (2-0, 2-0) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications
ETOBICOKE – On a chilly Saturday evening at the Hawks' Nest, No. 3 Humber women's volleyball (20-0, 1st West) welcomed the Conestoga Condors (10-10, 5th West) with a straight-set sweep (25-17, 25-14, 25-19). Fourth-year player Keyome Ellis was all-business by the net, grabbing an impressive game-high 17 points, while Reese Cholette stood out after not playing the previous three matches, securing a team-high ten digs.
Match Recap
The Hawks were again at the Nest to host their second postseason match, now against the Conestoga Condors. Despite facing a setback with a 2-1 disadvantage, Conestoga managed to turn the tide in their favour to secure a win against the Canadore Panthers in the crossover match. However, the Condors now had the defending provincial champions across the net, who held an impressive 19-0 record.
The Hawks were ready to talon a flying-high victory in this bird-of-prey battle. Humber was showcasing teamwork at its best early in this game, as the players on the court shared points, setting the Hawks up 14-9 and forcing the Condors to call a timeout. Conestoga returned to the set determined to turn the tables, but the Hawks kept a neck-to-neck game with an 8-8 run. As the score read Humber up 22-17, Keyome Ellis and Erika Dodd would set the green light for the Hawks to take off – Dodd would wisely tool the block while Ellis grabbed two unstoppable spikes to close the set up 25-17.
As both teams returned to the second set, Erika Dodd made feathers fly on the court, showing the Condors the predatorial nature of the West Division Player of the Year. The left-side player would secure half of the Hawks' points, putting Humber up 6-2. Despite the early advantage, Conestoga would not let the Hawks jump ahead to a comfortable lead, cutting the difference down to one as the score read 8-7. In a battle of the skies, Humber started to build a nest of success mid-game. Rookie setter Kennedy Williscroft proved to be hot from the end line, securing back-to-back aces and driving the Condors back to their bench on a timeout. The Hawks would never look back, as outside hitter Leah Serlin captured an ace and shut the door with a 25-14 set win.
The fans in the crowd watched a back-and-forth clash early in the third. The Condors knew the importance of winning this set if they still dreamed of playing the provincial semifinals, keeping a tight 10-8 game with Humber leading. Returning from a timeout, Coach Wilkins sent the Hawks back to the court on a 7-4 run – a bigger lead allowed Humber to build its game and set the flight path to the semi-final round. Scarborough-native player Keyome Ellis had ice running through her veins, as she stepped by the end line and aced twice in a row to wrap the match up 25-19.
Senior Leah Serlin was named the Hawks Player of the Game, securing nine points, two service aces and five digs.
Humber Highlights
- Humber has made an OCAA final four appearance every season since 1996, with 23 podium finishes during that span.
- The Hawks improve to 27-0 all-time against Conestoga.
- Humber extends its win streak to 25 consecutive matches against OCAA opponents.
- The Hawks increase to ten straight OCAA postseason wins without dropping a set.
- Humber has moved past the OCAA quarterfinals in every season since 1995-96.
- Coach Wilkins improves to 65-8 all-time in the OCAA playoffs.
What's next?
The Hawks now head to the final four, hosted by the Seneca Sting. Humber continues its journey to its third-consecutive provincial title, now facing the Loyalist Lancers (16-4, 2nd East) on Friday, Feb. 23. Match time will be announced shortyl, and the match will be streamed live on the OCAA Live.
