Unshakable Sutton leaves Gaels in the dust

Brendan Rowe
Staff writer
It was an afternoon of memories – at least for York’s women’s volleyball captain Sarah Sutton. Feb. 6 was the match to win against the Queen’s Gaels and for veteran Sutton, this match highlighted a great last performance at home before playoffs.
Sutton led her team to a three-set shutout (25-18, 25-18, 25-18) against the Gaels in what can very well be considered one of the team’s best games this season. Sutton, finishing her second year as team captain, was exuberant about the results of the game and was happy with the way she stepped up against the team’s toughest rival to make this game a memorable one. The captain posted nine kills with 10 points in total by the end of the match.
It wasn’t just Sutton though. The whole team was fired up for this game. Four of the nine players who played that afternoon posted more than 10 points each. Second-year player Stephanie Green and third-year hitter Thinesa Sriskandarajah counted 13 and 12 points respectively while rookie Brandie Wilkerson put up 10.5.

Teamwork resonated throughout and the motto that it takes one player to get some points but it takes a team to win was the key factor to the Lions’ win. That’s Sutton’s philosophy hands-down, and the effects clearly show, given the team’s current 13-4 record in the season.
The Gaels played pretty tight, but in the end couldn’t keep the momentum on their side. Each set started off evenly matched, but Queens kept letting the lead get away from them. The blocks were going up and the kills were going down. The Gaels also had some struggles serving as well as putting several balls well outside the court. Despite their best efforts it just wasn’t enough. Gaels coach Joely Christian-Macfarlane summed it up quite nicely when she said “[The Lions] played fantastic. It’s hard to beat them when they play like that.”
Rivalry can do that though. York’s volleyball feud with Queen’s has always been strong. Queen’s has been second to our first almost the entire season. The women have definitely been feeling it. They needed to beat the Gaels to prove that they were the right team for the job.
This win seals the deal on a first place position in the eastern conference. Provided the women come out strong in their last two away games on Feb. 11 and 12, and York is well on its way to another championship run this semester.