St. Thomas University’s women’s volleyball team beat the Dalhousie University Agricultural Campus three sets to one at the Lady Beaverbrook Gym on Feb. 6.
“We played very well. We gave a few too many fouls, but we came back with a good finish in the fourth set,” said head coach Don McKay.
St. Thomas Tommies are taller than the Dalhousie Rams which gave STU an advantage that game said McKay.
“They are not a tall team so we were able to attack at will,” he said. “I thought we hustled well overall.”
McKay feels the team has shown improvements this semester. “Were playing stronger, more players are stepping up.”
MacKay also feels there could have been some improvements within the attack line.
“I still think we need to get over the net on blocks, we’re not getting there in time,” he said.
The Tommies had a lot of hurdles to overcome this season. The team experienced a lot of sicknesses and injuries, plus with midterms and traveling to Truro and Prince Edward Island, the team had to take time off for rest.
“Managing our time is key,” McKay said.
The Tommies had to squeeze in a practice in the morning prior to the game.
“I still think we will be in the playoffs,” said McKay. “The key is to finish in third.”
McKay feels Mount Saint Vincent University and Holland College will take first and second place.
The Tommies topped the Rams 25-10 first set, and 25-17 the second. The Rams took the Tommies 26-24 in the third set, and the Tommies came back to win it 24-7 in the fourth.
“I think we played more as a team,” said Libero Meagan Kozak. “Our passing was better this game, as well as execution.”
Kozak agrees with McKay that the team needs to get more aggressive in the attack line. “We could probably improve more at net. We were letting some balls get in that we shouldn’t have.”
“We been battling with colds, we been run down,” she said. “(But) after a good week of practicing, we are starting to get it back.”
Kozak said she can see the team making it to playoffs. “Making it to the gold metal game is something that we are capable of.”
Right Side Shaniya Vance said the game went a lot better then the last. “Overall we had good offence and defence who were not hesitant.”
“We’ve been making solid hits but I feel we could have more kills than hitting (the ball) at people,” she said.
Vance agrees with Kozak that the Tommies are playing like a new team. “We have a lot more energy and now coming up to the Atlantics we work 110 per cent all the time,” said Vance.
Vance feels that the team has grown since the start of the season. “At the beginning it took us a while to figure out where everybody played.”
Now that the team is well organized Vance believes that the Tommies will make it to the finals and nationals.
“No problem,” she said. “We just have to show up to that date.”
