The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women’s volleyball team handily defeated the Ottawa Gee-Gees 3-0 (25-12, 25-19, 25-9) on Saturday, January 9 at the Athletic Centre Sports Gym. 

The Blues took and maintained the lead in the first set. Despite the Gee-Gees best attempts, the Blues held a five-point lead throughout the first half. 

Up 13-8, fifth-year Varsity Blues veterans Kristina Valjas (Toronto, Ont.) and Heather Bansley (Waterdown, Ont.) stepped up to increase Toronto’s lead and go on a 12-4 run to take the first set by 13 points (25-12). 

Lauren Willoughby (Unionville, Ont.) started the second set off for the Blues by landing a powerful kill on the Gee-Gees. The Blues continued to rake in the points with the help of the Varsity Blues player of the game Kathleen Mahannah (North Vancouver, B.C.) and fourth-year outside hitter Karlee Diesing (Coquitlam, B.C.). 

Ottawa rallied to come back stronger after the first technical time out and managed to raise their score substantially. Kaely Whillans (North Bay, Ont.), the high scorer for the Gee-Gees, fought back aggressively, wrangling points from the Blues near the end of the set with her impressive kills. 

Toronto won the second set (25-19) and continued their streak into the third. 

U of T again took an early lead and continued their stellar play throughout. The Gee-Gees points were few and far between as the Blues riddled them with kills, ultimately winning 25-9. 

Bansley, who currently leads the OUA with 5.14 points per game, led the Blues with 13 kills and five digs. Valjas followed closely behind with nine kills, six digs and four solo blocks, while Mahannah left with an impressive 31 assists. 

Whillans led Ottawa with five kills, followed by Karina Krueger-Schwanke (Blumenau, Brazil) with four kills and seven digs in the loss. 

The Varsity Blues return to action tomorrow night when they travel across town to take on the York Lions. The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. 

For more information, scores and highlights on your favourite Toronto teams, please visit the home of the Varsity Blues at http://www.varsityblues.ca.