Nov. 11, 2012 - 1:00 PM

Martlets Volleyball vs Sherbrooke (Home)

Won 3 -1 vs Sherbrooke (25-16, 25-18, 22-25, 25-23)

Love Competition Hall

MONTREAL - Geneviève Plante, a third-year power-hitter from Montreal had a game-high 14 kills as the McGill women's volleyball team broke out of an early season mini-slump with a much-needed 3-1 triumph over No. 10 ranked Sherbrooke at Love Competition Hall, Sunday.

The set scores were 25-16, 25-18, 22-25 and 25-23 in a thriller that took an hour and 53 minutes to play.

It was the first league conquest against a Quebec opponent for the Martlets, who evened their record at 4-4, with three of their wins coming at the hands of Atlantic opponents. Sherbrooke, which dropped to 5-3, had been threatening to put McGill far behind in their rear-view mirror. But they are now within striking distance.

"It was a huge team win that will help our confidence more than anything," said Rachèle Béliveau, the former Canadian Olympian who is now in her 22nd season as head coach at McGill. "We've been lacking consistency and confidence in believing that we could finish off teams when leading late in a set. But we turned that around today. When we focus on the moment and not on wanting to win at all costs, we have more success."

The Martlets had a 47-37 edge in kills, led by Plante, a kinesiology junior who also 10 digs and a stellar 2.33 passing ratio.

"Gen played really well today, putting in a consistent effort at both ends of the court," said Béliveau. "She has been a little inconsistent this season. When her offensive game was working, her defensive game was not and when she looked good on defence, her offence suffered. But today, she put it all together and it was probably her best overall performance of the season."

The supporting cast was pretty good too, led by 5-foot-10 power-hitter Catherine Amyot, an  engineering freshman from Ottawa, who also achieved a "double-double" with 10 kills and as many digs.

Freshman Ashley Norfleet of Brossard, Que., contributed nine kills, a pair of aces and five stuff blocks.  Marie-Christine Lapointe, a junior from St. Jean sur Richelieu, Que., added a game-high 15 digs on defence to go along with nine kills, an ace and three blocks. Marcela Mansure, the fifth-year setter from Brazil, was credited with 40 assists and eight digs, a kill, an ace and one block.

Paris-born Roxane Hasseni led the Vert & Or with 10 kills and added three stuff blocks.

The Martlets will host first-place Laval (6-1) on Nov. 16 and will be looking to avenge a 3-0 loss in Quebec City on Nov. 9.

SOURCE: Earl Zukerman, McGill Sports Info Office (514-398-7012)

Vert et Or 1,  Martlets 3

(Nov 11, 2012)

Martlets def. Vert et Or 25-16,25-18,22-25,25-23

Vert et Or (Kills-aces-blocks) - Roxane Hasseni 10-0-3;
Catherine Martin 7-2-0; Jessica Lambert 5-0-4; Corinne Santerre 5-2-5;
Kim Robitaille 4-2-1; Fanny Beaudin 4-1-0; Stephanie Beauregard 1-1-0;
Claudia Murray 1-1-0; Totals 37-9-8.0. (Assists) - Kim Robitaille 34.
(Dig leaders) - Andreanne Whittom 15; Fanny Beaudin 10; Kim Robitaille
8

Martlets (Kills-aces-blocks) - Genevieve Plante 14-0-0;
Catherine Amyot 10-0-0; Ashley Norfleet 9-2-5; Marie-C. Lapointe
9-1-3; Virginie Hebert 4-2-2; Marcela Mansure 1-1-1; Totals 47-6-6.0.
(Assists) - Marcela Mansure 40. (Dig leaders) - Marie-C. Lapointe 15;
Madeleine Lukic-McC. 11; Catherine Amyot 10; Genevieve Plante 10;
Marcela Mansure 8

Site: Montreal, QC (LoveCompetitionHall)

Date: Nov 11, 2012   Attend: 50   Time: 1:53

Referees: Martine Labelle, Isabelle Robichaud

Volleyball Box Score
Vert et Or vs Martlets
(Nov 11, 2012 at Montreal, QC)

Volleyball Detailed Stats
Vert et Or vs Martlets
(Nov 11, 2012 at Montreal, QC)