EDMONTON - The No. 6 University of Toronto Varsity Blues women’s volleyball team fell three straight (22-25, 23-25, 17-25) to the No. 3 Regina Cougars in the CIS consolation final and finish sixth at this year’s national championship tournament at the University of Alberta.

The battle for fifth place marks the first time that the two schools have met in the CIS women’s volleyball championship. In the only other meeting this season, the Cougars pulled out the 3-1 victory at a pre-season tournament at the University of Winnipeg.

In her first and only appearance on the national stage, two-time all-Canadian Heather Bansley was named the Blues player of the game for a second time and led the team for the third consecutive match with a game-high 12 kills, added 10 digs and two aces.

The fifth-year senior from Waterdown, Ont. ended her university career as an OUA champion and the CIS leader in kills per game (4.26), points per game (5.19) and serving aces per game (0.70).

Third-year outside hitter Megan Onstad (Weyburn, Sask.) led the Cougars with 12 kills and was named Regina’s player of the game. Senior Beth Clark of Regina, a 2010 Canada West first-team all-star, was playing in her final game of her career and tallied 10 kills and five block assists.

“We started really strong in the first two sets but we had difficulty finishing it,” said Varsity Blues head coach Kristine Drakich. “It looked like we were waiting to win instead of doing what needed to be done to win. Regina played well, I‘ll hand it to them. They played really well in their end game.”

Toronto’s team defence and service game were again crucial through the majority of the first two sets. The Blues held the lead in the first set through to the second technical timeout and led by as many as four (14-10).

The wheels then fell off when the Cougars clawed their way back into the game and tied it at 21. The Canada West bronze medalist closed out the first with a 3-1 run, taking the set 25-22.

The second set saw more of the same. A re-grouped Toronto team jumped out to an early 5-2 lead. Three Toronto errors in the next four points allowed Regina to gain momentum and pull themselves back into the game.

The Blues held onto to a slight lead throughout the middle part of the game and went into the second technical ahead 16-15. Regina took their first lead of the game at 18-19. Down 19-22, Toronto put together a late 4-1 burst to regain the lead 23-22, however, the Blues were then called for a lift which tied things up at 23 and the Cougars closed out the second with two-straight points.

Regina opened up an 8-3 lead in what would be the final set, which was as close as the Toronto would get, falling 17-25.

“I’m just a little sad that it’s how we finished,” continued Drakich. “But if you look at the bigger picture; overall it was a great season. It was tough for us to get here and we had some of our best play ever here [in this tournament] just not necessarily in one match. So overall I’m proud of the year just disappointed on the last match.”