MONTREAL -- The McGill University women's volleyball team will be looking to make history when they play the division-leading Montreal Carabins on Friday at 6 p.m. to open their best-of-three RSEQ league championship series.

Game 2 is set for Love Competition Hall inside the McGill Sports Complex, on Saturday at 7 p.m. If a third confrontation is needed, it is slated to be at Centre CEPSUM on Sunday at 1 p.m.

The underdog Martlets have never been crowned Quebec champions, while the omnipotent Carabins have captured nine provincial titles, including six in the past eight years. This marks their 11th consecutive appearance in the RSEQ final. Both Quebec finalists have qualified for the CIS Final Eight national championship in Brandon, Man., March 10-13, but the winner of this series will enter the CIS tourney with a higher seeding and a more favorable draw.

The Carabins, who finished atop the RSEQ conference with a 17-5 record, swept all four regular season meetings this season with McGill, which finished second with a 15-7 record. The Martlets, however, did blemish the Carabins this year, splitting a pair of preseason tournament matches. After Montreal swept McGill 3-0 in the final of the Carabins Ontario-Quebec Challenge on Sept. 20, the Martlets returned the favour with a 3-0 sweep at the Martlet Invitational, Oct. 10. 

This Quebec matchup will be a contrast in styles, with Montreal's high-octane offence going up against McGill's stingy defence.

The Carabins led the nation with a .273 hitting percentage, ranked eighth in aces per set (2.18), 19th in kills (10.93) and were third in stuff blocks (2.69)

The Martlets led the nation with 18.9 digs per set. They weren't too shabby offensively, either, ranking ninth in hitting percentage (.216), sixth in aces per set (2.23), eighth in kills (12.0) and 22nd in blocks (1.74).

The McGill squad features three first-team all-stars and Martlets bench boss Rachele Beliveau earned coach-of-the-year honours.

McGill fifth-year setter Yasmeen Dawoodjee of Ottawa, senior power-hitter Catherine Amyot of Montreal, and sophomore middle blocker Myriam Robitaille of Terrebonne, Que., all merited a berth on the RSEQ first team.

The Carabins had two on the first team and two more on the second team. Power-hitter Marie-Alex Bélanger was voted player of the year and made the first squad along with middle blocker Sarah Gosselin, while Alexane Joly, who also plays in the middle, and power-hitter Vicky Savard made the second unit.

SOURCE:
 
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Tel.)
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WEBSITE: www.mcgillathletics.ca
TWITTER: @EarlZukerman
E-MAIL: earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca

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