The Queen’s Gaels faced off against the RMC Paladins on Saturday at the ARC, with the Gaels emerging victorious after three sets.
The matchup had a slow start with the Gaels and Paladins consistently going point for point, largely due to RMC’s strong defense.
“They were playing really well,” Head Coach Ryan Ratushniak said of RMC in a post-game interview with The Journal.
“We weren’t executing on our side in a few different ways. We weren’t getting the ball to our setter.”
Nonetheless, the Gaels pulled ahead and won the first set 25-22. They picked up steam going into the second, finally finding the holes in RMC’s defence.
“[The team was] executing better on offence and putting serving pressure on them,” Ratushniak said.
Outside hitter Arielle Palermo made several well-placed attacks, making it clear Queen’s had honed in on RMC’s weaknesses. The Gaels’ strong team dynamic also shone in the second set as they demonstrated how their on-court relationships can propel their success.
“We’re all just super supportive and we understand the game; we understand that there’s pressure, so we take it lightly,” Gaels left side hitter Mary Stewart told The Journal.
“We have a lot of intensity and passion […] we’re just so excited to have a regular season.”
They won the second set with an improved score of 25-12.
Going into the third set, the Gaels had evidently found their groove: Amanda Siksna, Abigail McAlpine, and Stewart had a consecutive run of kills that led RMC to call a much-needed time out down by 14 points.
Queen’s ended the set strong with a long serving run from Pascale Gararneau, a rookie who got her first kills of the season this game.
Another rookie, McAlpine, also got the first kills of her university carer with two strong attacks as the third set ended 25-4 in favour of the Gaels.
The teams completed their doubleheader on Sunday afternoon with a repeat victory for Queen’s. This time, the Gaels relied on their bench to secure the win in only three sets.
The team has yet to be defeated in the OUA and continues to attribute their undefeated success to the culture they’ve cultivated.
“It’s honestly such a family dynamic and we’re all just really good friends,” Stewart said. “The passion shows just because we’re excited to be on the court”
Ratushniak spoke highly of the team’s dedication.
“We have a team that’s very hard working and they’re very competitive, but above and beyond everything they support each other.”
“We have great people who are doing a lot of great things, not just in volleyball but as students and community members too.”
On Nov. 25, the Gaels will travel to Toronto Metropolitan University for their first away game of the season.
Ratushniak believes the team will “have to be prepared a little bit more mentally.”
“We want to come out and play our volleyball and play the same way. When we step on the court, we play Queen’s Women’s Volleyball.”
The women’s volleyball team has their next ARC home game on Jan. 13 at 6 p.m. against the Windsor Lancers. Tickets are free for all Queen’s students.
Tags
ARC, home, Mary Stewart, Volleyball, win, Women's Volleyball
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