The OUA defending champion Varsity Blues women’s volleyball team fell 3-1 (25-16, 23-25, 25-19, 25-18) in their 2010-11 home opener to the Queen’s Gaels on Friday, October 22 at the Athletic Centre Sports Gym.

Fifth-year leftside hitter Karlee Diesing of Coquitlam, B.C. got the Blues off to a good start in the first set; however, the Gaels kept the score close, tying the game at 6-6. After the first technical time out the Blues seemed to lose their stride and Queen’s pulled through with a four-point streak to take the lead for good.
U of T attempted to close the gap with kills from Diesing and setter Malena Rapaport but Gaels Kate Matthews (Aurora, Ont.) and Natalie Gray (Oshawa, Ont.) ultimately pushed right back as the Blues dropped the first set 16-25.

U of T got out to an early five-point lead thanks to the work of Mississauga, Ont., native Alexandra Hudson, Sider, and two consecutive kills from Diesing. A nice kill from Katie Neville (Cambridge, Ont.) got the Gaels back in the game, but Rapaport and Katrina Rossall (Calgary) held Queen’s at bay, repeatedly blocking their attempts to hold the lead.

Toronto didn’t get too comfortable as Gray began to land a few kills in the middle of the set, even tying the game 14-14 with the help of teammate Becky Billings. Both teams exchanged points and tied at 21-21, the Blues pulled through with a kill from Sider and a serve from Rossall to take the set 25-23.

Queen’s gained the lead early in the third but the Blues kept close with more kills from Hudson, Sider, and Diesing. It wasn’t until the last time out of the set that the Gaels took a four-point lead that would not subside.

In the fourth, Queen’s took the lead and the Blues continued to fall behind until the middle of the set when they nearly evened the score at 15-16 with some more nice work from Hudson. Unfortunately, Toronto wasn’t able to keep the game close and the Gaels barrelled ahead with a final three points from Matthews to end the game with a 25-18 win.

Karlee Diesing was named the Varsity Blues player of the game for her 10-kill performance. Hudson, a second-year rightside hitter, also tallied 10 kills, while Sider had eight. Rapaport of Vancouver earned 25 assists and 15 digs in the loss.

The Varsity Blues return to action on Sunday, October 24 when they host the Ottawa Gee-Gees at the Athletic Centre Sports Gym. Game time is set for 2 p.m.

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