MONTREAL --
Claire Vercheval of St. Julie, Que., scored a season-high 22.5 points, including 20 kills, as No.7-ranked McGill tripled Ottawa 3-1 in RSEQ women's volleyball at Montpetit Hall in the nation's capital, Sunday. The set scores were 25-15, 25-23, 23-25 and 25-10.
It gave the Martlets a four-game season sweep over Ottawa (1-13) and improved McGill's record to 22-8 overall, including a division-leading 13-3 mark in the RSEQ conference. The loss eliminated Ottawa from post-season play.
McGill had a 52-35 advantage in kills and an 11-9 edge in service aces. The Martlets lead the RSEQ conference in both departments, with 734 kills and 150 aces in 64 sets thus far. McGill also had a single-game season-high 2.11 passing ratio (out of 3). The Gee-Gees had the upper hand in digs (73-62) and stuff blocks (8-2).
Vercheval, a 6-foot-1 power-hitter, also added a service ace and an assisted block, to go along with 11 digs on defence. It marked the fourth career outing that the 22-year-old physical education junior had reached the rare 20-kill plateau. She previously accomplished the feat with 21 at Ottawa on Jan. 21, 2017, then had 20 vs. UQAM on Jan. 28, 2017 and 20 at Laval on Oct. 27, 2017.
"It was certainly one of Claire's best games this season and she has been playing much better since the Christmas break," said Béliveau. "She has gotten good height on her hits, mixed with skill and variation. I'm pleased with the improvement in her game."
Joining her in double-digit scoring was team captain
Emilie Matte De Grasse, a 5-foot-10 power-hitter from Montreal, who tallied 13 points on the strength of 10 kills and three aces. The fifth-year physical education senior added nine digs, an ace and a 2.11 passing ratio.
Rowan Fletcher, a political science junior from Montreal, led the Martlets defence with a game-high 14 digs, in addition to six kills, a pair of assists and a 2.21 passing ratio. Sophomore setter
Andreanne Tremblay, who hails from south shore Longueuil, Que., registered a game-high 41 assists, along with seven digs, four kills, one ace, an assisted block and a 2.23 passing ratio.
Three played reached double figures for the Gee-Gees offence, led by
Dana Bulloch (16.5 points),
Rachel Powell (11.5) and
Kara Hayes (10.5).
With four games remaining before playoffs, McGill's magic number to clinch first place for the second time in school history is three. Any combination of McGill wins or Montreal Carabins losses totaling three will suffice. The Martlets could all but clinch in their next game with a road victory when they play the Carabins on Feb. 3, with a 1 p.m. tip-off at the Centre CEPSUM.
"We're playing well and just have to maintain what were doing," Béliveau noted. "Although I would like to see more consistency from set to set. Sometimes it seems like our concentration fades from one set to the next, which gives the other team some momentum."
2018-19 RSEQ Women's Volleyball Standings (updated)
| 1 |
x-McGill |
16 |
13 |
3 |
41 |
20 |
1417 |
1262 |
0.813 |
0.0 |
26 |
| 2 |
x-Montréal |
15 |
11 |
4 |
35 |
21 |
1259 |
1172 |
0.733 |
1.5 |
22 |
| 3 |
Laval |
15 |
8 |
7 |
30 |
28 |
1274 |
1317 |
0.533 |
4.5 |
16 |
| 4 |
UQAM |
15 |
7 |
8 |
31 |
29 |
1372 |
1293 |
0.467 |
5.5 |
14 |
| 5 |
Sherbrooke |
15 |
5 |
10 |
26 |
36 |
1316 |
1371 |
0.333 |
7.5 |
10 |
| 6 |
e-Ottawa |
14 |
1 |
13 |
12 |
41 |
1053 |
1276 |
0.071 |
11.0 |
2 |
x-clinched a playoff berth
e-eliminated from post-season participation
