The Lancer women's volleyball team placed fourth overall at the Ryerson Invitational this past weekend.
 
Windsor finished the tournament with a 2-3 record, with their wins coming against Humber College and the Western Mustangs.
 
DAY ONE:
Windsor 3 – Western 1 (10-25, 25-20, 25-17, 26-24)
The Lancers overcame early service receiving struggles in the first set to triumph over the Western Mustangs three sets to one. Tied at 8-8 in the first set, Western's Serena Smith went on a remarkable run to guide the Mustangs to a 23-8 lead. Western eventually closed the score at 25-9.
 
The Lancers seemed to recover following the break between sets and were in charge for much of the second set, building up to a nine point lead at the 21-12 mark. However, with Windsor sitting on match point, Western managed to claw their way back into the set, reeling off six straight points. A Kaila Seguin kill put an end to the run and the set, giving Windsor a 25-20 win.
 
The teams seemed locked in a battle in the third set until the Lancers went up 20-17. Windsor took charge in the final minutes, racking up five straight points to close the set at 25-17.
 
Midway through the fourth set Windsor led by a score of 16-10. Western went on a roll on the strength of seven straight serves from Mackenzie MacDonald and took a 21-20 lead. That lead was short lived, however, as Windsor recovered and took a 24-22 lead. The Mustangs pushed back once again, tying the game at 24-24, but Windsor eventually closed the set and match with a 26-24 win.
 
Seguin led the way with 14 kills, 3 blocks and 2 aces.
 
Windsor 3 - Humber 1 (30-28, 15-25, 25-19, 25-21)
The Windsor Lancers had to earn a few extra points to pick up a victory over Humber College, as the first set between the two teams required Windsor to score 30 points to take the set.
 
Humber made a statement in the second set, making quick work of the Lancers. Down 11-10, the Hawks went on an eight point run on the strength of three aces from Deborah Mitchell to take an 18-11 lead. Humber went on to a 25-15 win, needing just 19 minutes to do so.
 
Windsor found their stride following the second set loss and responded with a 25-19 set three win and 25-21 win in the fourth to claim the match victory.
 
“Humber really pushed their middles and we were struggled to keep pace, after a few adjustments Brianna Balzer started to take away space at the net and we were able to run our offense and took it to them,” said head coach Lucas Hodgson.
 
Balzer was 8 for 14 with 2 errors, 5 blocks, and an ace on the match to lead Windsor.
 
DAY TWO
Ryerson 3 – Windsor 1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-27, 20-25)
The Lancers started well and built a 13-10 lead before the Rams rallied and built a 21-18 advantage. Late pressure from the Lancers ran the score to 22-21 in favour of the Rams but Ryerson would close the match with three unanswered points to win 25-21 and take a 1-0 set lead.
 
Windsor grabbed an early 5-1 lead in the second set thanks to Taylor Fitzgerald who recorded two aces and caused two other scramble plays with her serves. Windsor went up 12-7, before Brooke Eibbitt took control for Ryerson with back to back kills followed with an ace to help bring the Rams to within one at 13-12. However, Windsor was determined to even the match and powered their way through the rest of the set to earn a 25-19 win.
 
In the third, Windsor looked poised to take their second straight set as they built a six point lead at 15-9. Ryerson chipped away at the deficit just prior to the technical timeout and back to back kills from Eibbitt closed the gap to just 16-13. The Rams made a substitution at the technical timeout, bringing in rookie setter Lauren Ebenhardt. The change seemed to spark the Rams and with Ebenhardt now running the offence, Ryerson racked up 11 kills, propelling them to the come-from-behind set victory with a 27-25 win.
 
Ryerson started with a strong performance in the fourth, building a six point lead at 20-14. The Lancers made things close, closing the gap to 20-18, but could not overcome the deficit and Ryerson claimed a 25-20 set victory for the 3-1 win.
 
Windsor 1 – Queen's 3 (25-21, 24-26, 18-25, 19-25)
Down 10- 6 in the first set, Windsor mounted a comeback with five consecutive points to grab an 11-10 lead. Queen's reclaimed the lead at 18-17 but it was short lived as the Lancers surged for five more points to take a 22-18 lead. From that point the Lancers cruised to a 25-21 first set victory.
 
In the second, the two squads traded the lead back and forth. At the technical timeout, Windsor led 16-13. Now down 18-15, Queen's rallied with four points to take a 19-18 advantage. Windsor made a valiant effort to regain the lead, pushing the set into an extra point, but Queen's held on for a 26-24 win to even the match at one set apiece.
 
Queen's put together several miniature runs in the third set to take control of the game. Once the Gaels took the lead at 8-7, they continued to build on that lead and took the set 25-18.
 
Windsor opened up the fourth set with six kills, an ace and a block en route to a 9-0 lead. Point number 13 seemed to be quite unlucky for the Lancers in this set, as the Windsor squad stalled at 12 points. Queen's climbed all the way back from being down 12-6 to take a 14-12 lead before Windsor got their next point. The loss of that extensive lead seemed to wear down the Lancers and Queen's only got stronger, going on to a 25- 19 victory to take the match 3-1.
 
 
DAY THREE
BRONZE MEDAL GAME: Queen's 3 - Windsor 1 (23-25, 22-25, 25-14, 20-25)
It was a close match throughout, but the Queen's Gaels came out on top over Windsor to capture third place at the Ryerson Invitational women's volleyball tournament.
 
Queen's took a 12-7 lead to start off the game, but two straight kills from the Lancers' Kaila Seguin changed the momentum. The Lancers would take a lead in the set at 20-19 before Queen's recovered to win the first set 25-23.
 
A hot start by the Lancers put them up 7-1 early on in the second set, forcing the Gaels to use a timeout. Brett Hagarty's kill closed the gap to 8-6 although Windsor still led at the technical timeout, 16-12. Queen's battled back to tie the set at 17 before eventually taking the set 25-22.
 
Another good start by the Lancers saw them go up 7-3 in the third set. Brianna Balzer capped off a set that Windsor completely dominated, smashing the ball down to send Windsor into the technical timeout ahead 16-11 and the Lancers eventually won the set 25-14.
 
The start to the fourth set was closer than the previous two. Queen's took the early lead before Windsor came back to tie the set at 12. A big block by Shannon Dean of Windsor could not spark a comeback for the Lancers, as they fell 25-20 to end the game.
 
Roshanna Matthews had 9 kills and 4 blocks in the game, while Dean had 6 kills, 3 blocks to go with her 4 aces.
 
Coach Hodgson was very impressed with the team at the tournament. “We learned a lot about ourselves and showed we can play with any team if we stay positive and work together and that was our goal this weekend,” said Hodgson. “I think it was a successful weekend as we ended playing the way we wanted to against the defending OUA champs.”
 
The Lancers will now break until October 12th when they travel to Kingston for the Queen's Invitational.