QUEBEC CITY --
Claire Vercheval of Ste-Julie, Que., registered a game-high 18.5 points as seventh-ranked McGill defeated No.9 Laval 3-1 in a pivotal RSEQ women's volleyball game to silence a crowd of 605 at Centre PEPS, Saturday. The set scores were 22-25, 25-13, 25-20 and 25-21.
It was McGill's second straight win over Laval after losing the first meeting 3-0 in the provincial capital on Nov. 4. Last spring, the Rouge et Or swept McGill 2-0 in the RSEQ best-of-three semifinal series which cost the Martlets a trip to the nationals.
Laval had a slight 51-48 edge in kills but McGill had the upper hand in other key statistical categories with a 10-5 advantage in aces, a 12-3 difference in stuff blocks and a 73-72 margin in digs.
"We played very well together today, it was a true team victory, " said Martlets head coach
Rachele Beliveau. "Everybody was able to cover each other, if someone made a mistake there was always another person there to support the play. We really broke Laval's momentum today. We were able to dig without blocks."
Vercheval, a 6-foot-1 junior power-hitter, earned her points with 14 kills, three service aces and 1.5 stuff blocks. She added 10 digs and two assists on defence.
Montrealer
Emilie Matte de Grasse, a fifth-year physical education senior, followed with 15 points, on the strength of 11 kills, two aces and a pair of blocks, along with 13 digs. Middle-blocker
Charlene Robitaille, a freshman from Mont St.Gregoire, Que., added 10 kills, two aces, two blocks, two digs and a pair of assists.
Leading the way for Laval was
Jade Fortin from Alma, Que., and
Maud Chapleau of St. Thomas, Que. Fortin had 15 kills, one ace and an assisted block, along with six digs. Chapleau recorded a "double-double" with 20 digs and 10 kills, in addition to an ace..
McGill (10-3) will host Montreal (9-3) on Sunday (Jan. 20) at Love Competition Hall, with a 2 p.m. tip-off. Laval (8-5) is off until Jan. 25, when they host No. 10 ranked Montreal (9-3).
2018-19 RSEQ Women's Volleyball Standings
| 1 |
McGill |
13 |
10 |
3 |
32 |
18 |
1149 |
1035 |
0.769 |
0.0 |
20 |
| 2 |
Montréal |
12 |
9 |
3 |
28 |
17 |
1001 |
946 |
0.750 |
0.5 |
18 |
| 3 |
Laval |
13 |
8 |
5 |
29 |
22 |
1131 |
1146 |
0.615 |
2.0 |
16 |
| 4 |
UQAM |
13 |
5 |
8 |
25 |
28 |
1201 |
1141 |
0.385 |
5.0 |
10 |
| 5 |
Sherbrooke |
13 |
5 |
8 |
25 |
30 |
1169 |
1197 |
0.385 |
5.0 |
10 |
| 6 |
Ottawa |
12 |
1 |
11 |
11 |
35 |
917 |
1103 |
0.083 |
8.5 |
2 |
