MONTREAL --  Claire Vercheval of St. Julie, Que., scored a game-high 18.5 points as No. 5 ranked McGill swept the Université du Québec à Montréal 25-17, 25-22 and 25-16 to win an RSEQ women's volleyball semifinal 2-1 at Love Competition Hall, Sunday. The Martlets had opened the best-of-three series with a 3-0 sweep on Friday but were swept themselves 3-0 at UQAM on Saturday.
 
The Martlets advance to the Quebec conference best-of-three league championship series (Mar. 8-10) against the No.9 ranked Montreal Carabins and are two victories away from qualifying to compete at the USPORTS national championship -- slated to be held in Edmonton, March 15-17 -- for the fourth time in school history. In their previous trips to the national tourney, McGill finished seventh (0-2) in Brandon (2016), third (2-1) at Hamilton (2012) and sixth (1-2) at Edmonton (1997).
 
McGill had a 39-27 advantage in kills, a 9-4 margin in service aces and a 61-49 edge in digs.The Citadins only statistical advantage was a 4-3 difference in stuff blocks.
 
"We played as we did in Game 1 and it felt like the same team with the same drive and team cohesiveness," said Martlet head coach Rachele Beliveau, whose squad recorded a team passing ratio of 1.97 (out of 3). "Everyone played very well, we executed better in serving and blocking and played solid defence."
 
Vercheval, a 6-foot-1 power-hitter, earned her points on the strength of 15 kills, three aces, and an assisted block. She also added 16 digs on defence.
 
Montrealer Emilie Matte De Grasse, a fifth-year physical education senior, registered 12 points on 10 kills and two aces. The 5-foot-10 all-conference power-hitter also added a half-dozen digs. Charlene Robitaille, a second-team all-star and nutritional science freshman, contributed six points. Team captain Rowan Fletcher, a junior right-side hitter, recorded 11 digs, a pair of kills, one ace and 1.5 blocks. Andreanne Tremblay, a sophomore and the team's starting setter, was credited with a game-high 27 assists to go along with four kills and six digs.
 
"The girls played well in front of our home crowd, they were having fun," noted Beliveau. "We were sharp. Today was a tough battle, it wasn't an easy game and the victory didn't just come to us. We had to work for it."

Frederique Nicole led UQAM with 11 points, on nine kills, one ace and a block. Teammate Évy Carpentier-Larivière collected a game-high 21 digs, while setter Marie-Pier Seguin had 25 assists.
 
The Martlets now have a two-week break to prepare for the Quebec conference championship, which they have never won. The series against the Carabins, the first of a possible three games in as many days, opens on Friday, March 8 at Love Competition Hall. Montreal, the defending RSEQ champions for the past four years, have won nine of the last 11 titles. The Martlets took three of four regular season match-ups with UdeM, the first time in team history that McGill has won the season series between the cross-town rivals.


PREVIOUS RSEQ CHAMPIONS
 

SEASON	CHAMPIONS
2017-18	Montréal
2016-17	Montréal
2015-16	Montréal
2014-15	Montréal
2013-14	Laval
2012-13	Montréal
2011-12	Montréal
2010-11	Laval
2009-10	Montréal
2008-09	Montréal
2007-08	Montréal
2006-07	Laval
2005-06	Laval*
2004-05	Sherbrooke*
2003-04	Laval
2002-03	Laval
2001-02	Sherbrooke
2000-01	Laval
1999-00	Laval
1998-99	Laval
1997-98	Laval
1996-97	Laval
1995-96	Laval
1994-95	Laval
1993-94	Montréal
1992-93	Montréal
1991-92	Laval
1990-91	Montréal
1989-90	Laval
1988-89	Laval
1987-88	Sherbrooke
1986-87	Laval
1985-86	Sherbrooke
1984-85	Laval
1983-84	Sherbrooke
1982-83	Laval
1981-82	Laval
1980-81	Laval
1979-80	Laval
1978-79	Laval
1977-78	Sherbrooke
1976-77	Sherbrooke
1975-76	Sherbrooke
1974-75	Laval
1973-74	Sherbrooke
1972-73	Laval

*won national championship