VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS: No.5 McGill to face No.9 Carabins in search of first RSEQ title

MONTREAL -- The fifth-ranked McGill University women's volleyball team will be looking for their first-ever Quebec title when they open the RSEQ best-of-three league championship series against the No.9 Montreal Carabins on Friday (Mar. 8).

Tip-off for the opener is 6:30 p.m. at Love Competition Hall, located inside the Currie Gymnasium at 475 Pine Avenue West. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, Children 12-and-under are admitted free.

Game 2 is slated for UdeM's Centre CEPSUM on Saturday at 5 p.m. If a rubber match is needed, it will be back at McGill on Sunday at 2 p.m.

At stake will be Quebec conference bragging rights, as well as a trip to the U SPORTS Final Eight championship in Edmonton, Mar. 14-17. Since the Quebec league was founded in 1972, the Carabins have won 12 Quebec banners, including the last four and nine of the past 11.

The Martlets are on the verge of their finest season ever. They own a 28-9 record overall, including a 17-3 first-place finish in the RSEQ conference. It was only the second-ever regular season pennant in McGill history (the first since 2001-02), setting school records for most wins and fewest losses. McGill posted a league-best 53-22 record in sets won.

The second-place Carabins finished four games back with a 13-7 record and a 45-32 mark in sets won. Both teams won their semifinal series in three games, with McGill defeating fourth-place UQAM and Montreal eliminating third-seeded Laval.

Looking at the head-to-head record between McGill and Montreal this season, the Martlets took four of six meetings overall, winning 15 sets and losing eight. In regular season play, McGill won three of four confrontations with a 10-5 edge in sets won. McGill swept both home-court matchups at Love Competition Hall (3-0, 3-1), and split the two at CEPSUM (1-3, 3-1).

Both teams had two first-team all-stars, while McGill had one more honoree on the second team.

The Martlets won three of the leagues's four major awards, including player of the year (Claire Vercheval) and coach of the year (Rachele Beliveau) as well as the leadership award (Rowan Fletcher).

LINK TO RSEQ STATS

2018-19 RSEQ FINAL STANDINGS

Pos	Team / Équipe	GP/MJ	W/V	L/D	SW/SG	SL/SP	PF/PP	PA/PC	MOY	Diff.	PTS
1	McGill	20	17	3	53	22	1765	1540	0.850	0.0	34
2	Montréal	20	13	7	45	31	1697	1617	0.650	4.0	26
3	Laval	20	12	8	42	33	1673	1677	0.600	5.0	24
4	UQAM	20	10	10	40	39	1764	1678	0.500	7.0	20
5	Sherbrooke	20	7	13	36	45	1731	1786	0.350	10.0	14
6	Ottawa	20	1	19	13	59	1421	1753	0.050	16.0	2

2018-19 RSEQ WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL MAJOR AWARDS & ALL-STARS

MAJOR AWARDS:
Claire Vercheval – McGill – Player of the Year
Sabrina Mayer – UQAM – Rookie of the Year
Rachele Beliveau – McGill – Coach of the Year
Rowan Fletcher – McGill – Leadership and Citizenship Award

FIRST TEAM
Claire Vercheval – McGill
Maud Chapleau – Laval
Adryana Dorismond Rodrigue – Montréal
Frédérique Nicole – UQAM
Emilie Matte De Grasse – McGill
Camille Santerre – Montréal
Maude Fréchette – Sherbrooke

SECOND TEAM
Sabrina Mayer – UQAM
Emma Bergeron – Sherbrooke
Charlene Robitaille – McGill
Myriam Adam – Laval
Marie-Pier Séguin – UQAM
Sabrina Roy – Ottawa
Caroline Lemay – Ottawa

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