MONTREAL -- Catherine Deslauriers and Jessica Lambert each recorded 13 points as visiting Sherbrooke topped McGill 3-1 in a key RSEQ women's volleyball matchup at Love Competition Hall, Saturday. The set scores were 25-23, 25-21, 13-25 and 25-17.

With one weekend remaining before playoffs in the 20-game schedule, the result improved Sherbrooke's record to 9-10 but more importantly, gave them a 3-1 season series victory over McGill (9-9) and the all-important tie-breaker should the teams end up tied in the standings. Four teams -- including both the Martlets and Sherbrooke -- sit tied for second place with 18 points, and only three of those can join conference-leading Montreal in the playoffs.

"The loss is not because we didn't play well or didn't show up," said McGill head coach Rachele Beliveau. "Sherbrooke played really well and it was a great game."

Deslauriers earned her points with 12 kills and an ace, while Lambert had 10 kills, two aces and a stuff-block.

McGill held a 54-47 advantage in kills and a 54-40 difference in digs but the Vert & Or had an 8-5 margin in blocks and matched the Martlets' seven service aces.

"We did really play well offensively -- we had 54 kills -- however we made a few too many direct mistakes," Beliveau explained. "Those (easier) balls we have to play perfectly because the game is so tight that little things like that can make the difference."

Four Martlets reached double-figures in scoring, led by Emilie Matte de Grasse of Montreal who tallied a game-high 14.5 points, courtesy of 14 kills and a block, along with 10 digs. Erika Cournoyer of Longueuil, Que., and Claire Vercheval of Ste. Julie, Que., followed with 13.5 points each. Cournoyer registered 12 kills, an ace and an assisted block, along with a pair of digs and two assists. Vercheval had 13 kills and a block, in addition to 11 digs. Myriam Robitaille of Terrebonne, Que., earned 13 points on the strength of six kills, a game-high four aces and three total blocks, and chipped in three digs and four assists.

McGill setter Thara Dawoodjee of Ottawa had 46 assists and libero Marjolaine Ste-Marie of St. Lambert, Que., led all players with 15 digs.

"We just need to serve a little bit tougher, unbalance their serve-receive a little more, have a little bit more variation when we're hitting and control the balls that we're able to control," Beliveau noted, offering adjustments that could change the outcome of close contests with just two matches left in the playoff push. "That makes a difference."

McGill (9-9) next visits last-place UQAM (5-13) on Feb. 17 and closes out the schedule with a tough home-court confrontation against the division-leading Carabins (13-5) on Feb. 18. The Vert & Or (9-10) will end their schedule against Montreal on Feb. 19.

 

2016-17 RSEQ Women's Volleyball Standings (updated after games of Feb. 11) • Classement de la saison régulière

Pos	Équipe	MJ	V	D	SG	SP	PP	PC	MOY	Diff.	PTS
1	Montréal	18	13	5	43	22	1527	1323	0.722	0.0	26
2	Laval	17	9	8	34	30	1401	1329	0.529	3.5	18
3	McGill	18	9	9	37	38	1606	1651	0.500	4.0	18
4	Ottawa	18	9	9	34	38	1561	1613	0.500	4.0	18
5	Sherbrooke	19	9	10	37	36	1557	1577	0.474	4.5	18
6	UQAM	18	5	13	23	44	1382	1541	0.278	8.0	10

REMAINING RSEQ GAMES BEFORE PLAYOFFS:
 

F55	Dim	2017-02-12	14:00	Laval	vs	UQAM		UQAM	Web
F56	Ven	2017-02-17	19:00	McGill	vs	UQAM		UQAM	Web
F57	Sam	2017-02-18	18:00	Ottawa	vs	Laval		PEPS	Web
F58	Sam	2017-02-18	19:00	Montréal	vs	McGill		McGill U.	Web
F59	Dim	2017-02-19	13:00	Sherbrooke	vs	Montréal		CEPSUM
F60	Dim	2017-02-19	14:00	Ottawa	vs	Laval		PEPS	Web