The new year didn’t start off the way the St. Thomas University women’s volleyball team likely would have hoped.
The Tommies were eliminated by the Holland College Hurricanes in the semifinals at the second annual STU-Canadian National Invitational tournament on Wednesday, Jan. 4 in Fredericton.
The Tommies fell 2-0 (25-17, 25-16) to the Hurricanes in the semis, while the Fredericton Sportsmatch Blues senior women’s squad also downed the Mount Allison University Mounties 2-0 (25-16, 25-17) in the other crossover.
The Sportsmatch Blues went on to win the tournament with a 2-1 victory over the Hurricanes in the final. After dropping the opening set 25-19, Fredericton won the next two 25-21 and 15-12.
In the quarterfinals, MtA defeated the University of New Brunswick Saint John Seawolves in three sets (20-25, 25-22, 15-7), while Holland College also topped the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers 2-1 (25-12, 21-25, 15-8).
Preliminary standings were based on wins and losses in sets.
In the Green Division, the host Tommies tripped the Seawolves 25-16 and 25-17.
STU then split its match against the Panthers with a 25-18 win and 22-25 loss.
In other round-robin play in the Green Division, UNBSJ went 2-2, while UPEI had a win and was defeated three times.
In the Gold Division, the Sportsmatch Blues also went 3-1 by splitting with Holland College (15-25, 25-15) and overcoming the Mounties 2-0 (25-13, 26-24).
The Hurricanes went 2-2, while the Mounties were 1-3 on the tournament.
Games were played at Lady Beaverbrook Gym and the Richard J. Currie Center Recreation Gym.
STU stays busy with exhibition play
Some of STU’s other varsity sports teams have been active in exhibition action either over the holiday break or in the days that have followed.
The Tommies women’s hockey team dropped a 4-1 decision to the Concordia University Stingers on Dec. 29 at the Theresa Humes Tournament in Montreal, Que., while the STU women’s basketball squad took part in the eighth annual Dyrick McDermott Invitational from Dec. 31 to Jan. 2 at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax.
The Tommies men’s basketball team participated in the 2017 Can-Am Classic on Jan. 3 and 4 at UNBSJ, while women’s volleyball also played a pair of exhibition matches on Tuesday, Jan. 3 at Richard J. Currie Center, along with the Hurricanes and the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds.
STU edged UNB 2-1 but fell 2-1 to Holland College in women’s volleyball.
Tommies remain nationally ranked
Two Tommies varsity sports teams continue to be acknowledged at the national level.
In women’s hockey, STU’s No. 2 ranking in the U Sports Top 10 standings has not changed since the week of Nov. 30 to Dec. 6.
The Tommies women’s basketball team, meanwhile, dropped from 10th to 11th in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association’s Top 15 rankings on Dec. 6.
In men’s volleyball, STU was 10th in Canada before the holidays, but the Tommies fell from the national spotlight on Dec. 6.
