CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Sophomore Myriam Robitaille of Terrebonne, Que., scored a team-leading 12.5 points as the ninth-ranked McGill women's volleyball team swept No.10 Sherbrooke 25-21, 25-20, 26-24 on Saturday, in the semifinal round of the Innisbrook Invitational, a Florida-based tournament organized by McMaster University.

It was the third victory in four tourney games for the Martlets, who will face a rematch with Sherbrooke in the gold medal contest on Sunday at 6 p.m.

Robitaille, a six-foot middle blocker, registered nine kills, a pair of aces and 1.5 stuffed blocks.

Teammates Yasmeen Dawoodjee and Ariane Lavoie-Boutin also posted some solid numbers. Dawoodjee, a fifth-year setter from Ottawa, collected 29 assists to go along with four kills, two aces, a pair blocks and a dozen digs.Lavoie-Boutin, a freshman power-hitter from La Prairie, Que., added 12 digs, six kills, one block and service ratio of 2.33 out of 3.

The unbeaten Vert & Or faced a stiff test against McGill and the Martlets began well, taking an 8-4 lead in the first set. That advantage grew as the teams approached the technical timeout but Sherbrooke found their form after the break and led 21-19 with a block that forced McGill into a break. The chat proved fruitful, as the Martlets scored the next four points to retake the lead, and sealed it three points later.

Another closely-fought set ensued in the second, where the teams traded points into the technical timeout, with Sherbrooke leading by just a single point at the break. The Martlets moved ahead 18-17 to force a stoppage from their opponents and embarked on a 7-3 run to close out the set.

The quality of play picked up in the third, with Sherbrooke desperate to avoid the sweep. After tying the set at 13-13, the Vert & Or conceded the next three points to send the teams into the technical timeout with the Martlets enjoying a slim lead. Momentum swung back and forth with Sherbrooke taking a 22-21 lead through a McGill setting error.

But two errors by Sherbrooke prompted their coach to call time trailing 23-22 and the Martlets cruised to a 26-24 win.


Innisbrook Invitational Volleyball Tournament Results
 
Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015
McMaster  defeated  Brock 3-0 (25-13, 25-18, 25-12)       
Sherbrooke defeated Brandon 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-20)
McMaster defeated McGill 3-2 (10-25, 25-18, 20-25, 25-21, 15-11)
 
Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015
McGill defeated Brandon 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-18)   
Sherbrooke defeated McMaster 3-0 (26-24, 25-18, 25-19)
McGill defeated Brock 3-0 (25-13  25-20, 27-25)
 
Friday, Jan. 1, 2015
(no games)

Saturday, Jan. 2, 2015
McMaster defeated  Brandon 3-0 (set scores not available)       
McGill defeated Sherbrooke 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 26-24)   

Sunday, Jan. 3, 2015
GOLD MEDAL GAME: McGill vs Sherbrooke, 6 p.m.   


SOURCE:
Fraser Caldwell, McMaster University
caldwef@mcmaster.ca
(905) 518-9937
 
 
Earl Zukerman, McGill University
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca
(514) 398-7012
 
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www.mcgillathletics.ca/calendar.aspx