Humber’s women’s volleyball team celebrated its final regular-season match with a sweep at home against the Cambrian Golden Shields.
The Hawks also secured home-field advantage for their postseason campaign, with the qualifying playoff match set to start.
Coming into this matchup, both teams were looking to book a position in second or third in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) West Standings.
Cambrian sat below Humber, and a sweep against the host would move them above the Hawks.
Golden Shields' head coach, Dale Beausoleil, said before the game that he hoped execution could help his team against the Hawks.
“It's going to be a tough one,” he said. “We've got to serve well and pass well if we stand a chance.”
However, Humber was seeking to finish the regular season with a victory at home.
Hawks head coach Chris Wilkins said this matchup was good preparation for the upcoming postseason playoffs.
“It's a nice match actually for both our teams, starting to get ourselves ready for [the] playoffs,” he said.
Wilkins said the team will need to commit to its play and reduce mistakes.
“We're just going to have to rely on all-around play [and] minimizing our errors,” he said before the match. “They make you work for their points, so we're going to have to work hard on our side.”
Before the game began, the Hawks Nest held a ceremony to congratulate three senior players: fourth-year libero Reese Cholette, fifth-year middle blocker Amy Connelly and outside hitter Lexie Zicari, playing in their last season.
The first set began with the Hawks taking charge in the early stages, leading 11-5.
Humber’s execution went perfectly, creating fewer errors and expanding the deficit to double digits, and this would see the host win the set 25-11.
Heading into the second set, the Golden Shields took the early lead, scoring three unanswered points, but the Hawks managed to respond and level the game.
Humber would take the lead at 11-7, and Cambrian called a timeout.
The Golden Shields would only be able to score four points, while the Hawks put in nine to make the score 20-11.
Humber would win the set comfortably, 25-14, after left side hitter Caitlyn Labelle spiked the ball that came into contact with a Cambrian player, hitting the corner to get the win.
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The Hawks continue their momentum in the third set, after taking the early point and eventually making the score 7-2.
Cambrian trailed throughout the game and struggled to prevent Humber’s attack as the host landed all their hits and led by nine.
The Hawks would win the set 25-13 after the Golden Shields spiked the ball out of bounds to get the sweep.
This was Cambrian's heaviest defeat of the season, as it was the first time the Golden Shields couldn’t score 15 points in any of the sets since Feb. 8, 2020, when they were swept by Fanshawe.
Beausoleil said service errors were key issues in his team's defeat.
“We did not pass the ball. Humber served tough against us,” he said. “Our service team game has got to improve, and I didn't think we served tough enough either.”
Wilkins said he was pleased with his team’s performance, finishing the regular season campaign with flair.
“I'm really proud of how we played today,” he said. “It's nice to see us rounding in the form and doing what we're supposed to do.”
Zicari said energy played an important role in the team's victory.
“That was a really good game,” she said. “We finally have kind of captured our energy, and [it] kind of felt like us for a good amount of the game.”
As this is her final season, Zicari said the transition away from the sport will be emotional.
“Obviously, my life has been volleyball for so long,” she said. “It's going to take a lot of getting used to, and it will be really emotional.”
The Hawks are now preparing to meet the 7-9 George Brown Huskies in a qualifying match at 1 p.m. on Valentine's Day.
