Jeff DeMeza
men’s volleyball
The men’s volleyball team won both of their home games this past weekend, defeating the Western Mustangs in five sets and the Windsor Lancers in three. Jeff DeMeza led the team in kills both games, earning 17 kills against Western followed by 14 against Windsor the next night.
The fourth-year outside hitter said his recent success is part of the team’s improvement throughout the season.
“The team always comes together when we need to,” DeMeza said. “We’ve got a little bit more work to do, but come playoff season we will be a serious contender if we keep working as hard as we are.”
The game against Western on Friday proved a tough test for the Gaels.
Queen’s won the first set only to have Western win the next two.
Finding themselves in a dangerous position, the Gaels rallied during the remaining sets to finish the game victorious.
The next night, the Gaels proved too much for the Windsor Lancers, winning the match in three sets.
DeMeza earned 14 kills for Queen’s, a remarkable feat in only three sets.
DeMeza said his kills resulted from the team’s great chemistry.
“We were a lot more focused when we played the ball,” he said.
“Everyone on the team is pretty close, which makes it easier to co-ordinate on the court.”
Coach Brenda Willis said DeMeza has seen some critical improvement this season.
“Jeff has really improved his ing which has helped quite a bit,” she said. “He goes after every ball looking to score. He’s got a great killer instinct.”
—Erick Thurston
Sarah Barnes
women’s basketball
The Queen’s women’s basketball team experienced a tumultuous weekend, losing Friday to the York Lions on January 11th but emerging victorious 73-71 against the Laurentian Voyageurs the next night.
Forward Sarah Barnes led all scorers in the Laurentian game with 23 points and nailed the game-winning three-pointer with 3.6 seconds left.
Coach Dave Wilson said he feels the team is improving every game.
“The reality is we’re getting better,” he said.
“This win was a tangible reward for the team which is great for team morale.”
He added that Barnes not only had an excellent game, but has had an excellent season as well.
“She’s always been a great leader on and off the court. She’s excellent at directing traffic and keeping the team organized,” Wilson said.
“She’s always been key. She’s a clutch shooter for us.”
Barnes said she struggled with her shot early in the season, but she was never worried about getting her stroke back.
“I got some really good advice over the break about going back to the mechanics of my shot,” she said.
“I have a lot of good coaches who told me to just keep on shooting and not worry about whether it goes in.”
The team’s main goal is to improve its overall consistency going forward, Barnes said.
“Try to gain some consistency by going to the basket a lot more and not relying so much on our outside shot,” she said.
—Erick Thurston and Mike Woods
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