The second half of the 2022-23 season gets started on Thursday night for Mohawk Mountaineers women's volleyball as they head to Ancaster, ON to play cross-city rival the Redeemer Royals for a 6 p.m. start.
The game will be broadcasted on OCAA Live.
The Headline:
After a fantastic start to the season that saw the Mountaineers jump out to five straight victories, it was announced this week that the interim tag on head coach Kelsey Kovar was being removed. Meaning this matchup against the Royals will mark Kovar's first game as the programs permanent head coach.
Over the years, as both an athlete and coach, Kovar has had tremendous success in matchups versus the Royals. And the same can be said about the Mountaineers program, which is one-year removed from winning the OCAA silver medal.
The Matchup:
The Mountaineers come into the contest with a slight edge, sitting fifth in the OCAA West Division with a 5-4 record. On the other hand, the Royals are sixth in the division at 4-5. This contest will have a major impact in the west standings as Mohawk has the opportunity to separate themselves from the bottom half of the division with a win.
From a statistical standpoint, Redeemer's attack game is a touch better than Mohawk's. The Royals have a hitting percentage of .191 while the Mountaineers are at .138. However, Mohawk has 315 total kills compared to Redeemer's 307.
The Mountaineers will also need to stand tall defensively against the Royals, who have 102 services aces this season, ranking fifth in the OCAA.
What Happened Last Time:
In their previous matchup earlier this season on November 5, it was Mohawk who came out on top with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 28-26) victory.
In the November match, Rachel Vanderwal (Hamilton, ON) led the Mountaineers with 10 kills. Anika Gatto (Coquitlam, BC) and Stephanie Karatsolias (Milton, ON) stood out defensively with 24 and 14 digs, respectively.
Avery Surette led the Royals in that match with 11 kills.
Who to Watch For:
Yvonne Mann (Kitchener, ON) will be a key athlete in this one for Mohawk. With a total of 191 assists this season, Mann will need to spread the ball around to her a attackers for a balanced team approach. Gatto's defensive efforts will also be an important asset for the Mountaineers.
Alyson Stolte has been one of Redeemer's best servers this season, currently fifth in the league in aces per set.
What's Next:
The road games continue for the Mountaineers after this match. This weekend women's volleyball will make the overnight trip to Windsor, ON to play the St. Clair Saints on Saturday at 3 p.m. The team returns to the Mohawk gym on Jan. 20 and 21 when they host the Boreal Vipers and Cambrian Golden Shield.
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