MONTREAL -- Tournament MVP Yasmeen Dawoodjee  assisted on 50 kills as McGill defeated Toronto 3-1 to capture the 25th annual Martlet Invitational women's volleyball tournament, Sunday, at Love Competition Hall. The set scores were 25-18, 25-14, 27-25 and 25-17.

It marked only the third time that the Martlets had won their own tourney and the first since 1997.

"I was very pleased with the way we played over the weekend," said McGill head coach Rachele Beliveau. "We fought hard and even when we had a few bad moments, we bounced right back. It's a good sign of maturity and leadership. We've implemented a new system this year and our players have adapted to that very efficiently. We're much more consistent and have significantly reduced making bad errors, which has made a big difference this season."

Dawoodjee, a 5-foot-8 setter from Ottawa who also racked up 50 assists in Friday's 3-0 sweep over the UofT Varsity Blues, added two kills, a pair of aces and 10 digs. In 12 sets over the four matches, the fifth-year nutritional science senior amassed a combined 158 assists with six kills, eight aces, 44 digs and one block.

"We really worked hard with her to isolate our hitters, which gives them a better chance at killing the ball," said Beliveau of the 22-year-old team captain. "She stayed in Montreal this summer and trained hard with us and it has really paid off. She has gotten a better feel for the ball and is much improved and consistent at adapting to the speed at this level."

Joining Dawoodjee on the all-tournament team were McGill teammates Catherine Amyot and Emilie Matte de Grasse, both of them power-hitters.

Amyot, a materials engineering senior from Ottawa, registered a combined 45 kills with seven aces, 39 digs, 2.5 blocks and a 2.19 passing ratio. She achieved a 43 per cent kill rate and a 31 per cent kill efficiency, the highest ever for a McGill power-hitter, according to Beliveau. 

Matte de Grasse, a physical education sophomore from Montreal, totalled 36 kills over the weekend with a 38 per cent kill rate and a 24 per cent kill efficiency. She added six aces, 39 digs, 2.5 blocks and a 2.13 passing ratio.

McGill, which has reached the final of all three tourneys this season, finished their preseason schedule with an impressive 12-2 record. They get a week off to prepare for the regular campaign, which opens Oct. 23-25, at Love Competition Hall, when McGill will host the RSEQ-AUS interlocking league tournament, which counts in the standings for both conferences.


25th ANNUAL MARTLET INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE & RESULTS

FRIDAY OCT. 9, 2015
Montreal 3, Regina 1 (15-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-14)   
McGill 3, Toronto 0 (25-19, 28-26, 25-20)

SATURDAY OCT. 10, 2015
Toronto 3, Regina 0 (25-10, 25-9, 25-14)
McGill 3, Montreal 0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-15)
Toronto 3, Montreal 2 (25-22, 21-25, 15-25, 25-22, 16-14)
McGill 3, Regina 0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-23)

SUNDAY OCT. 11, 2015
BRONZE: Montreal 3, Regina 1 (16-25, 26-24, 25-17, 25-18)
GOLD: McGill 3, Toronto 1 (25-18, 25-14, 27-25, 25-17)


ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Montreal: Marie-Alex Bélanger
McGill: Emilie Matte de Grasse
Toronto: Bojana Radan
McGill: Catherine Amyot
Regina: Ahslee Sandiford
Toronto: Alina Dormann
 
TOURNAMENT MVP: 
McGill: Yasmeen Dawoodjee

Total McGill Invitational Tournament Titles Won

1. Montréal (12)
2. Sherbrooke (4)
3. McGill (3)
4. Concordia (2)
5. Laval (1)
6. Celtique Seniors (1)
7. Dalhousie (1)
8. Saint Mary's (1)   


All-Time McGill Invitational Volleyball Tournament Finalists

1991:     Concordia won 2-1 vs McGill    (15-17, 15-6, 15-11)
1992:     Concordia won 2-1 vs Sherbrooke    (10-15, 15-12, 15-12)
1993:     Montreal won 2-1 vs Sherbrooke    (7-15, 15-8, 15-9)
1994:     McGill won 3-0 vs Sherbrooke    (15-12, 15-3, 15-12)
1995:     Celtique Seniors won 3-0 vs McGill    (15-11, 15-13, 15-8)
1996:     Montreal won 3-2 vs McGill    (3-15, 15-6, 10-15, 15-10, 15-10)
1997:     McGill won 3-0 vs Montreal    (16-14, 15-6, 15-9)
1998:     Montreal won 3-0 vs Queen's    (15-3, 15-5, 15-12)
1999:     Sherbrooke won 3-0 vs Winnipeg    (26-24, 25-23, 25-22)
2000:     Sherbrooke won 3-2 vs Laval    (25-18, 25-21, 21-25, 21-25, 15-10)
2001:     Montreal won 3-1 vs Winnipeg    (18-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-22)
2002:     Montreal won 3-2 vs McGill    (25-15, 23-25, 25-20, 21-25, 15-11)
2003:     Montreal won 3-2 vs Laval    (22-25, 17-25, 25-23, 28-26, 15-7)
2004:     Sherbrooke won 3-1 vs Trinity Western    (19-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-20)
2005:     Laval won 3-0 vs McGill    (25-20, 25-14, 25-14)
2006:     Montreal won 3-0 vs Regina    (25-22, 25-22, 5-18)
2007:     Montreal won 3-0 vs McGill    (25-15, 25-18, 25-16)
2008:     Montreal won 3-2 vs McGill    (25-16, 24-26, 25-21, 21-25, 15-11)
2009:     Montreal won 3-2 vs Manitoba    (25-19, 25-27, 19-25, 25-15, 15-11)
2010:     Dalhousie won 3-2 vs Calgary    (22-25, 15-25, 25-18, 26-24, 16-14)
2011:     Saint Mary's won 3-0 vs Dalhousie    (25-14, 25-18, 25-18)
2012:     Sherbrooke won 3-0 vs Saint Mary's    (25-20, 25-15, 25-18)
2013:     Montreal won 3-1 vs Queen's    (18-25, 25-12, 25-17, 25-19)
2014:     Montreal won 3-0 vs Memorial    (28-26, 25-15, 25-12)
2015:     McGill won 3-1 vs Toronto (25-18, 25-14, 27-25, 25-17)


SOURCE:
 
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Tel.)
m.athletics.mcgill.ca (mobile website)
www.mcgill athletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca
@EarlZukerman (twitter)
 
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