Ranked fifth in the country, the Lions fought a tough battle against University of Toronto’s Varsity Blues last Saturday, January 12, ultimately coming out on top with a final score of 3-2.
Heading into the first set, the Varsity Blues played their strengths, setting up one successful serve-receive after another, and targeting York’s weaker second left-side hitter to score the point. Picking up on this trend, York swapped libero Jennifer Black onto the court in hopes of leveling the playing field.
The second set was marked by the Lions’ stronger presence on the court, and a slew of balls landing out of bounds for the Varsity Blues. Three minutes in, Lions team captain Michelle Pierce and setter Tisha Rouse shut out U of T’s ball with a point for York. Outside hitter Brandie Wilkerson was a key player for the Lions, and with her precision and powerful spikes she managed to nail multiple points for York.
Nick Tran, coach of the women’s volleyball team, says, “Brandie played really well today. She kept that consistency in our offense that we really needed because our other players were struggling.”
A minute into the third, York landed the first point and finished off with two solid blocks in their favour. The Lions’ digs were coming up short, with a number of the girls leaping for the ball only seconds too late.
“It definitely wasn’t one of our strongest matches,” says Tran. “They rattled our defense because we were seeing things we didn’t see with previous games.”
In the fourth and fifth set, York came back stronger than ever as outside hitter Melissa Humana-Paredes served up an ace, sending the ball to the other end of the court. The dynamic duo, Wilkerson and Lions outside hitter Sheraine Henry, worked well together, landing countless blocks for York.
As the Lions applied more pressure, Varsity Blues setter Madelyn Mandryk yelled, “Help!” to her other teammates in an attempt to score a point. But nothing could stop the Lions, as Pierce nabbed two points in a row, and Rouse and Henry nailed another shut out in the final seconds of the game.
Tran says, “I’m really proud of the way we came through and fought for every single point. Championship teams are made of those types of characteristics and finding a way to win when everything isn’t going right.”
