In 2015, the St. Thomas women’s volleyball team have won four of their five games. A new calendar wasn’t the only thing that changed for the Tommies. The new year also brought back a Tommie veteran: Sarah Watts.
Watts was on the team the four years prior, but this year she was accepted into the education program. Watts had eight courses on her plate in the first semester. During that first semester, she would go to the games and do stats. Now, she is back.
“At first I was a little skeptical but now I know I made the right decision,” said Watts after Saturday, as the Tommies took on the University of King’s College Blue Devils.
The first set between the two was close, but in the end, the Tommies took it 25-20. The next set was an amazing show of serving from the Tommies. They started off with a 9-1 lead, and Baylee Anderson had two service aces in the run.
The serving was a polar opposite of earlier in the week, when STU took on the UNBSJ Seawolves. They lost that match three sets to nothing, but were determined to perform against the winless Blue Devils.
“We didn’t start well and we couldn’t seem to get on track,” said Tommies coach Don McKay about their loss against the Seawolves. “[Saturday], we were firing on all cylinders.”
The Tommies won the second set against the Blue Devils 25-10. The next set was closer, and King’s College led for the beginning of the set. They had the lead at 16-13, but the Tommies were able to even it up at 17. They went on to win 25-19.
Laura MacDonald and Watts were the big contributors in the win. MacDonald had 10 kills and five aces, while Watts wasn’t letting anything past her, as she had five blocks.
“It’s wonderful to have Sarah back. She adds so much up front,” said McKay. “And she brings intensity. She doesn’t like to lose.”
Other than having half of the team’s blocks, Watts also had eight kills. She felt the difference between the Tuesday loss to the Seawolves and the win against the Blue Devils was primarily focus.
“We were a lot more prepared,” said Watts, who said as soon as she got to the gym Saturday her teammates we already passing and practicing.
Saturday’s win was the Tommies seventh of the season. The Tommies played Dalhousie Agricultural College on Sunday, and won that 3 sets to 1. STU is second in the league, behind Mount Saint Vincent University, who is 12-1. Mount Saint Vincent’s only loss was against St. Thomas. The Tommies play UNBSJ again on Friday.
