With every season comes a fresh start, an opportunity to turn the chapter on last year. At 5-8, the women’s volleyball team currently sits fifth in the OUA East with only Trent and RMC behind them.
With six games left, the team has a chance now to turn the page on a less than exciting start to the 2016-17 season and start fresh midway through the season.
While they’ve improved greatly over the course of the season — this month the team had a 2-2 record, impressive in comparison to their 3-6 record after the first half of the season — they still have far to go.
On the offensive side of things, the team is in the upper tier of the OUA, currently averaging 11.24 kills per set and 10.39 assists per set, both of which rank third in the OUA East. Their service aces per set are at par for the middle of the league, averaging 2.02.
The team’s biggest issues this season are coming defensive. The Gaels currently average 14.69 digs per set, whereas the number one and undefeated team in the OUA East, the Toronto Varsity Blues, average 17.86 digs per set.
The team also only averages 1.20 blocks per set. This is second lowest in the OUA East, only ahead of the RMC Paladins average of 0.70. In comparison, the number two Ryerson Rams’ average blocks per set are more than double that of the Gaels’, with 2.46 blocks per set.
But with all the negatives, the team still has an opportunity to change the narrative of their season.
This weekend, the team heads to Trent, looking to repeat their 3-0 victory over them at the start of the season. After Trent, the Gaels return home for two weekends to host Lakehead — who is 3-11 and at the bottom of the OUA West standings.
In the second weekend of their home stand, Queen’s will play host to York and Nipissing, which will be the most important set of games for the team this year. When the teams faced off earlier this year, Queen’s dropped both games 3-2 in tight matchups.
If the team can prioritize their offensive and get into a rhythm, there is a real chance to gain momentum and find their way into the OUA playoffs.
If they manage to maintain a strong offensive front, whilst reinforcing their defensive efforts, they should manage to move up in the OUA rankings before the whistle blows on their season.
Tags
Sideline Commentary, Women's Volleyball
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