Queen’s Women’s and Men’s Volleyball teams sent the undefeated Windsor Lancers home from the ARC last weekend with their first losses of the OUA season.
The Women’s team dominated on Nov. 8 and 9, claiming back-to-back straight-set victories, while the Men’s team rebounded from an opening loss to secure a hard-fought win in their second match, ending Windsor’s perfect record.
Women’s Volleyball
From the opening serve on Friday, the Gaels charged ahead of the undefeated Lancers. Setting the tone early, they won the first set 25-18 with a combination of relentless serving, airtight defense, and powerful attacks.
Second-year Claire Carter, Comm ’27, led the charge with 16 kills and two aces, while Amanda Siksna, ConEd ’25, added six kills and three blocks to keep Windsor on the defensive. The Gaels continued their dominance in the second set, taking it 25-17, before closing out the match 25-20 in the third.
The momentum carried into Saturday’s match, where the Gaels once again swept the Lancers in three straight sets, capturing the first set 25-16. Outside hitter Hannah Duchesneau, ArtSci ’25, was a standout in Saturday’s game, racking up 14 kills and a service ace.
“We focused on our serve game which really helped our setter be able to run a great offense. Every hitter was in their lanes, ready to go,” Duchesneau said in a post-game interview with The Journal.
Carter continued her impressive weekend, adding 12.5 points from eight kills, three service aces, and two blocks. The team hit with a collective efficiency of .321, outpacing Windsor’s 30 kills with their own 40.
“We were really efficient in our attack this weekend, and a lot of that came from strong ing. Holly [Biasi] really found her stride running our backcourt and Kennedy [Millin] did a really good job running our offence providing great sets for our hitters to be really efficient,” Head Coach Shanice Marcelle told The Journal.
Libero Holly Biasi, ArtSci ’25, anchored the defence throughout the weekend, finishing with a cumulative 24 digs across six sets. The team recorded 79 digs over both matches, showcasing their tight defence.
While the Gaels played an exception all-around game, Windsor managed to test their resilience during the second set of Saturday’s match—exploiting gaps by tipping over Queen’s blockers and targeting the open space just behind the front line.
After a timeout, the squad adjusted their defensive strategy, improving their reads and communication to shut down Windsor’s tipping game. Regaining control, the Gaels went on to close the second set 25-21.
Refusing to let up, the Gaels carried their intensity into the third set. With precise attacks and strong defence, they kept the Lancers on the back foot, ultimately sealing a 25-20 victory to complete their second straight sweep of the weekend.
Looking to continue their three-game win streak, the Gaels will take on another undefeated team Nov. 15 and 16 at the ARC as they face the Waterloo Warriors.
Men’s Volleyball
The Men’s team got off on the wrong foot, opening their weekend with a tough four-set loss to the Lancers on Nov. 8. While not the result they wanted, the Gaels displayed flashes of strong play against one of the OUA’s top teams.
“We marked Windsor on the calendar as a team that we know is probably going to be a top two team in the OUA,” Head Coach Gabe deGroot said in an interview with The Journal. “We knew that going in. […] We know they’re good, and we need to be pushed by other good teams. And we got pushed tonight.”
While not the result they wanted, the Gaels displayed flashes of strong play against one of the OUA’s top teams. Zig Licis, Sci ’25, led the team on Friday with 15.5 points, including 14 kills and three blocks, while Reed Venning, ArtSci ’26, contributed 11 points.
After losing the first set 25-18 and dropping a closely contested second set 25-23, the Gaels found their stride in the third. With middle Alex Brdarevic, Sci ’27, making a strong impact at the net, Queen’s dominated the set 25-16. Brdarevic’s presence energized the team, allowing them to return to their aggressive playing style.
However, this wasn’t enough to keep the Lancers at bay, as Windsor regrouped in the fourth set—closing out the match 25-20 and handing the Gaels their first loss of the season.
For deGroot, the loss was less about the result and more about the learning opportunity. “We needed to get pushed like this and this is no means going to define our season,” he said.
“Obviously we didn’t play great, but we’ll go back to the drawing board and see what we can fix. A lot of it was on our side, which is the nice thing about it. Hopefully, we come back better tomorrow,” Venning added.
Making promise on their word, the Gaels returned to the court on Nov. 9 with a commanding straight-set victory over Windsor. From the outset, Queen’s played with renewed focus and intensity, staying aggressive and capitalizing on key moments.
Licis once again led the charge, contributing 14.5 points, including 12 kills, and suring 500 career points in the process. Defensively, libero Tobias Jeffries, Sci ’25, anchored the backcourt, making critical saves to help maintain the Gaels’ momentum.
The Gaels narrowly took a tense second set 26-24, showcasing their ability to perform under pressure, and sealed the win with a decisive 25-22 third set.
With their record now at 5-1, the Gaels are gearing up for another weekend of games at the ARC on Nov. 15 and 16 against the Waterloo Warriors.
Tags
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be ed, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to [email protected].