MONTREAL – Three players reached double-digits in scoring to pace the offence and setter Audrey Trottier quarterbacked the defence as McGill knocked off the division-leading Montreal Carabins with a spectacular 3-1 road victory in a key women's volleyball confrontation, Sunday, at the Centre CEPSUM.
 
The set scores were 26-24, 25-19, 25-27 and 25-19 in a match that featured 10 lead changes.
 
It was the Martlets fourth conquest in as many meetings with UdeM this season, including three in league play. More importantly, the win vaulted McGill into a three-way tie with Montreal and UQAM. All three teams have a stellar 9-4 record with five contests remaining before playoffs.
 
"It was a very solid performance from everyone today," said head coach Rachèle Béliveau, who has now racked up a 694-551-2 overall record in 31 seasons at McGill. "Our game was much more consistent. Our passing, defence and blocking was pretty good."

Clara Poire of Blainville, Que., and Charlene Robitaille of St. Jean, Que., each tallied 14 points, while Victoria Iannotti of St. Laurent, Que., added 13.5.

Robitaille, a senior middle blocker, registered 10 kills and now is sitting at 499 career kills in 246 sets over her 64 regular season contests. She is poised to become one of only a handful of McGill players to reach the 500 kill plateau in league play.

But it was Trottier's ball distribution on defensive side of the ledger that made the difference against a team known for spectacular kills. The 5-foot-9 senior from Longueuil, Que., registered 31 assists, 10 digs, five assisted blocks, two kills and a pair of aces.

"She played an awesome technical game today, in terms of setting, distribution of the ball, good timing on getting the ball to specific players at crucial moments," Béliveau noted. "Audrey also had a strong performance in blocking."

A 23-year-old physical therapy major who returned after graduating last spring with a degree in kinesiology, Trottier orchestrated the team to produce 43 kills, distributed over seven different players. The Martlets registered 21.8 per cent hitting efficiency on 124 kill attempts. McGill leads the league and ranks eighth in Canada this season with a 22.6 per cent efficiency.

Montreal only succeeded on 17.2 per cent in that category after committing 29 hitting errors on 151 kill attempts compared to 16 errors by McGill.

Meaghan Smith, a senior middle blocker from Vancouver, B.C., also had a solid outing, with nine assisted blocks, six digs, three services and a pair of kills.

Three members of the Carabins reached double figures in scoring, led by Gabrielle Fortin, who amassed a lofty 29.5 points in vain, including 22 kills. Teammates Myriam Kayser-Tourig and Olympe Desmedt added 17.5 and 11.5 points, respectively.

"We've played quite well on Montreal's court this season but our goal was to be patient," added Béliveau. "They get a lot of kills (which can be intimidating) but we want our players to perceive those big hits just like any other type of kill."

UdeM led in kills (55-43) and aces (12-9), while the Martlets held a 12-10 edge in stuff blocks and a 59-58 margin in digs.

Montreal, which has now dropped two consecutive contests, will play at Ottawa (4-10) on Jan. 28, a team that just upset the Carabins 3-2 on Jan. 15.

McGill enters a bye-week in the RSEQ schedule and will focus on preparation for another first-place showdown on the road. The Martlets will make the short skip down the slopes of Mt. Royal to play UQAM on Feb. 3 in a 6 p.m. tip-off. Before then however, the Citadins are scheduled to play at fourth-place Laval (6-6) on Jan. 27.

After playing at UQAM, the Martlets will celebrate Black History Month on Sunday, Feb. 5 when UQTR (2-10) visits Love Competition Hall in a 1 p.m. matinee.

BOXSCORE

RSEQ STANDINGS & STATS

McGILL IN THE NATIONAL STATS


SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca
@EarlZukerman (twitter)